The International Cricket Council is standing firm against the US$47 million claim by its commercial partner, Global Cricket Corporation, after its investigations identified that many of the allegations made by GCC's marketing agent World Sport Nimbus (WSN) lacked substance.
ICC Chief Executive, Malcolm Speed, has told GCC that its investigations had revealed serious inconsistencies in a number of allegations made by WSN.
"Global Cricket Corporation is a highly valued commercial partner of international cricket. Its impact on the game is overwhelmingly positive and it is important that ICC and GCC are able to work through the current dispute," said Mr Speed.
"We have been open throughout this matter and I have detailed a number of specific concerns that the ICC has about the claim to GCC."
Mr Speed added that through information provided by the Board of Control for Cricket in India it became aware that several aspects of this claim need to be properly investigated. With the assistance and cooperation of the BCCI, the ICC's investigative team was able to meet with various parties in India at the highest level and a detailed understanding of the position emerged that was different from the story offered by WSN.
"I have raised our concerns and detailed our investigation with GCC and asked for it to provide detailed evidence that would explain these differences and substantiate WSN's allegations," he added.
Mr Speed said that the ICC is committed to working through the issues raised in the GCC claim in a constructive way.
"The ICC remains committed to ensuring that it and GCC are able to benefit from the commercial relationship that is in place between the two organisations," said Mr Speed.
"We have put our view to GCC that many of the claims made by WSN lack substance and that other elements of the claim require more supporting information before they can be properly considered. We will now have to wait for GCC's response before we can move forward on the issues."
The information provided by the BCCI has prompted the BCCI to ask the ICC to release the money that is currently being withheld because of the dispute.
However, the ICC has advised the BCCI that all money that it is withholding from its members, including several million dollars in distribution payments due to England, India and New Zealand, will continue to be held in trust pending a resolution of the GCC claim.
