ICC sets out latest position regarding South Africa v India
ICC - 23 November 2001
The International Cricket Council is determined to resolve the current issue
in the best interests of cricket around the world.
The fundamental issue at stake is the right of the ICC, as the world
governing body for cricket, to appoint referees and umpires, and for those
officials to make decisions which are respected by both players and Boards.
Without this right, the sport could descend into anarchy.
The ICC has made it very clear that it wants to see improved standards of
on-field behaviour for the good of the game as a whole. All Test Captains
were notified of this intention, in writing, by Chief Executive Malcolm
Speed. The captains in the South Africa versus India series were reminded
of their responsibilities by Mike Denness before the series began.
It is also important to understand that Mike Denness did not make these
decisions in isolation: with the exception of Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav
Ganguly, the other four players were reported by the umpires, one a South
African, the other a Zimbabwean.
It would have been very easy for the ICC to have replaced Mike Denness with
an alternative referee and thereby ducked this issue, but that would have
set a very dangerous precedent. Thereafter, any country not happy with an
umpire or referee for whatever reason, could have chosen to refuse to play a
match. Clearly this would be an untenable situation.
The ICC will not speculate on future developments, but is determined that
the disciplinary action will stand.
Suggestions for potential changes to the disciplinary process will be
discussed at the next ICC Executive Board meeting, but in the mean time, our
interests are to uphold the rights of the match officials and the integrity
of cricket.
© ICC
|