Heat on at home, Srini grip remains firm on world body
MUMBAI: In utter defiance of his detractors who are working overtime to stop him from attending the ICC Executive Board meeting on April 9 and 10 in Dubai, N Srinivasan will indeed attend as a BCCI representative, despite the Supreme Court directing him to step aside as the Board president.
A top BCCI official told HT: “Who else, it’s Srinivasan only who has been mandated to attend the meeting, it is only logical that the man who was central to drafting the ICC revamp plan with Australia and England should and must attend,” he said. A strong plea against Srinivasan attending the meet was defeated when the Supreme Court declined to pass an order, saying it was BCCI’s internal matter.
ISSUE OF ETHICS
The Federation of International Cricketers’ Association (FICA) too has vociferously questioned the propriety of N Srinivasan attending the meeting. It highlighted two provisions any Executive Board member can raise. Clause 2.1 of ICC’s code of ethics states that “Directors shall not engage in any conduct that in any way denigrates the ICC or harms its public image.”
Under clause 4.11 (F) of the global body’s constitution, an ICC director can be removed as Executive Board member by notice given to him and executed by not less than two thirds of its members on any of the following grounds: (1) he is guilty of any dishonesty, gross misconduct or wilful neglect of duty (whether by act or omission); or (2) in the reasonable opinion of the Executive Board, he commits (whether by act or omission) any act which brings or would tend to bring the Council into disrepute; or (3) he conducts himself in a manner materially adverse to the interests of the Council.”
STAGE MANAGED
It is reliably learnt that Srinivasan will not face any such awkward situation as a consensus among the members is said to have already been struck. It is learnt that Srinivasan held a meeting in Dubai on Tuesday with his close allies to make sure the meeting goes off smoothly, unopposed. The ICC did not answer a query on Srinivasan.
Srinivasan’s shaky position in the BCCI seems to have had negligible impact on his imminent ICC chairmanship in July. The meeting is set to give a final shape to the revamp plan, passed with a majority vote in Singapore in February.
Pakistan is expected to join the fold once it discusses how beneficial the plan would be to Pakistan cricket. Both Pakistan and Sri Lanka are hopeful of striking a bilateral series with India.