Rai’s directive to rein in officials

Any decision pertaining to the exercise of any rights or remedies under MPA that preempts the SGM will be done only through the prior approval of the CoA.

The Committee of Administrators (CoA) has issued a directive through a letter to BCCI that any decision to invoke the Member Participation Agreement (MPA) that pre-empts the Special General Meeting (SGM) on May 7 will need a prior approval from them.

The CoA had to shoot the missive after it had learnt that a handful of members were pressurising the acting secretary to send a letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) well before the SGM to invoke the Members Participation Agreement (MPA) which can lead to the Indian board pulling out of Champions Trophy and other ICC events.

CoA head Vinod Rai told HT, “The SGM will decide on the course of action to be taken for participation in the Champions Trophy. What we have made clear is that any decision pertaining to the exercise of any rights or remedies under the Members Participation Agreement (MPA) that pre-empts the SGM will be done only through the prior approval of the CoA. The CoA doesn’t want members pressurising the secretary or any top official into sending a letter to ICC before the SGM, as had come to light. Let it be decided at the SGM.”

The BCCI has convened an urgent Special General Meeting in New Delhi on May 7 to decide on the new constitution of the ICC that has cut India’s share in revenues and reduced their say in governance from what had been promised under the 2014 ‘Big Three’ model which is now scrapped. The SGM assumes significance because the members will decide on whether to invoke the MPA or not -- in short, whether to send the team to next month’s Champions Trophy or not. A section of the BCCI that is in favour of exercising the MPA believes that this is the last chance to do it. Otherwise, it will become very difficult after June when the new constitution comes in place, some officials say.

The CoA’s letter to BCCI stated, “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 direction in Paragraph 1 above shall also apply to letters, notices and other correspondence which seek to invoke or exercise any rights/ remedies against the ICC.”

It added: “With a view to ensuring that the management and administration of the BCCI are carried out in accordance with the orders passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court as well as in the interests of good governance.

The CoA doesn’t want members pressurising the secretary or any top official into sending a letter to ICC before the SGM, as had come to light.