India’s share of cricket revenue increased to $405 million: report
Sedition charges against villagers dropped
NEW DELHI, June 22, (AFP): India’s share of world cricket revenues will increase from $293 to $405 million under a new deal agreed at a meeting of the game’s global governing body in London, the Press Trust of India reported Thursday.
The deal came after India protested a decision in April to divide revenues more equitably among members of the International Cricket Council (ICC) — a move which would have cost the Indian cricket board a large chunk of its funding over the next eight years.
PTI revealed details of the new agreement ahead of the release of an official statement later Thursday. It said England will receive $139 million, while Australia, Pakistan, West Indies, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh would get $128 million and Zimbabwe $94 million.
An unnamed official for the Board of Control for Cricket in India told PTI that “the BCCI has agreed to the terms and conditions” of the deal.
India had earlier threatened to withdraw from the Champions Trophy tournament beginning in England on June 1 unless the revenue-sharing deal was restructured.
The deal drawn up in April was aimed at curbing the dominance of cricket’s wealthiest nations — India, Australia and England — with more money flowing to minor Test nations and associate members like Ireland and Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, Indian police said Thursday that 15 Muslims arrested for celebrating a recent Pakistani cricket victory over India would not be charged with sedition, but could still face prison for cheering the rival side.
The villagers from central Madhya Pradesh state were arrested Monday after letting off fireworks and cheering for Pakistan as the underdogs beat India in the final of the Champions Trophy in England.
A Hindu neighbour in Burhanpur district complained to police and the men were detained for sedition — which can carry a life sentence — among other offences, drawing criticism from rights groups.
But Burhanpur police chief Raja Ram Parihar said the sedition charges had been dropped as there was no evidence the men chanted anti-India slogans.
“They did shout slogans in favour of the Pakistan cricket team and lit firecrackers, but that does not warrant sedition charges,” Parihar told AFP.
However they still face charges of disrupting communal harmony and criminal conspiracy for the rowdy celebration in Burhanpur, which has large Muslim and Hindu populations and a history of religious violence.
Rights group Amnesty International slammed the arrests and demanded the men be immediately released.
At least eight other cricket fans were arrested around India on sedition charges after celebrating Pakistan 180run thumping of their arch-rivals.