London: The International Cricket Council (ICC ) has suspended Zimbabwe Cricket with immediate effect over violation of global body’s constitution which doesn’t allow any government intervention.
The current elected members of Zimbabwe Board were suspended by government agency Sports and Recreation Committee (SRC) which was a violation of relevant articles of ICC Constitution.
The ICC said in a statement that the ICC Board unanimously decided that Zimbabwe Cricket, an ICC Full Member, is in breach of the article which imposes an obligation on Members to provide a process for free and democratic elections and to ensure that there is no government interference in its governance and/or administration for cricket.
“We do not take the decision to suspend a Member lightly, but we must keep our sport free from political interference,” said ICC chairman Shashank Manohar in a statement.
“What has happened in Zimbabwe is a serious breach of the ICC Constitution and we cannot allow it to continue unchecked. The ICC wants cricket to continue in Zimbabwe in accordance with the ICC Constitution,” he added.
As a consequence of suspension, ICC funding to Zimbabwe Cricket will be frozen and representative teams from Zimbabwe will not be allowed to participate in any ICC events.
The ICC has directed that the elected Zimbabwe Cricket Board be reinstated to the office within three months and progress in this respect will be considered again at the October Board meeting.
Zimbabwe’s Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) suspended Zimbabwe Cricket last month and installed temporary leadership, putting the national cricket board on a collision course with the ICC.
The country first became a full ICC member in 1992 and enjoyed an impressive run at the 1999 World Cup, narrowly missing out on a semi-final berth.
Prasanta Patnaik