You can't communicate directly with ICC: CoA tells BCCI

In a strongly worded message, the Committee of Administrators (CoA) has told a desperate Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that it cannot directly communicate with the International Cricket Council (ICC) without its approval.

The BCCI, isolated in the ICC meeting in Dubai last month, has been making last ditch attempts to garner support to invoke a clause in the Members Participation Agreement (MPA) and terminate it.

The Board has called for a Special General Meeting (SGM) here on May 7 to deliberate on decisions of the ICC meetings and importantly to take a stand on its participation on the Champions Trophy.

The BCCI, which was outvoted in the ICC meeting, chose to counter the world body’s stand with the threat of invoking an MPA clause, which would lead to India’s pull-out from all ICC events.

However, for that it would need sufficient support from its members. To achieve that, some BCCI officials held a conference call with its full members earlier in the day, to seek an agreement on MPA withdrawal before the SGM. It, though, didn’t go well with CoA which promptly shot a letter to the BCCI reminding it of the various orders issued on the matter.

Referring to the Supreme Court order, dated January 2, the CoA said: "In light of the aforesaid orders, it will be apparent that (i) the Committee of Administrators shall supervise the management and administration of the BCCI through its CEO; (ii) the office bearers shall function subject to the supervision and control of the Committee of Administrators; (iii) the Committee of Administrators will have the power to  issue all appropriate directions to facilitate due supervision and control of the functioning of BCCI; and (iv) the CEO shall report to the Committee of Administrators and the Committee of Administrators shall supervise the management of BCCI."

In view of this, the CoA directed, "All letters, notices and other correspondence on behalf of the BCCI which seek to invoke or exercise any rights/ remedies under the Members Participation Agreement entered into between the BCCI and the ICC Business Corporation FZ-LLC (“IBC”) shall only be issued with the prior approval of the Committee of Administrators.

“The same "shall also apply to letters, notices and other correspondence which seek to invoke or exercise any rights/ remedies against the International Cricket Council (“ICC”)."

The BCCI has been vehement against the reduction of its revenue under the new reforms adopted by the ICC. The relevant clause in the MPA allows a member to terminate it as a whole under certain circumstances, including changes that are materially adverse to the member.