Probe into T20 fiasco is only right

ULTIMATELY, Cricket South Africa was left with no other option. Investigate this shambles that led to the T20 Global League being postponed or risk further reputational damage.

Cricket SA announced yesterday that “a broad scope investigation into the internal processes on all aspects of the T20GL, as undertaken by various parties during the period of the establishment of the league,” will now take place.

“The scope of the investigation will in principle cover the planning and execution of the T20 Global League with specific focus on, inter alia, aspects of governance, agreements concluded, payments, staff recruitment, authorisation and delegation of authority, league development strategy, decision making etc.” That should mean that the TV deal that never happened will be properly scrutinised.

The integrity of this investigation is dependent on who is conducting it. While CSA did state that the investigation has already started, it did not reveal who is conducting it.

As has been pointed out on a number of occasions recently; CSA need to interrogate how was it possible that such controversy could emerge just four years after the administrative restructuring at CSA, which was supposed to ensure a more professionally run organisation.

The investigation needs to be shown to be sincere, unlike those glib inquiries that took place when Gerald Majola sought to hold onto power in the wake of the “bonus scandal”. Then, beyond the investigation, there are the payouts to be made to players, coaches and service staff following CSA’s inability to produce a tournament.

What CSA daren’t do, what it will have no right to do, is to demand trust from the public. The organisation has given up that right with its actions related to this fiasco.