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Speed hopes to sort out contract issues

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

International Cricket Council chief executive Malcom Speed expressed the hope that all outstanding issues regarding contracts between players and the various affiliated boards will be sorted out in time for the World Cup, to be held in South Africa in 2003.

Speed told the media, in New Delhi, that he had no plans of meeting Indian players during his current trip, because the Board of Control for Cricket in India had not asked the ICC for assistance in sorting out the differences between it and the players.

"We came to the rescue of the BCCI before the Champion's trophy at the request of the Indian board, but there has been no such request now," Speed said. "Nor am I meeting the Indian Cricket Players Association, which has not been recognised by the BCCI.".

Speed told the media that the ICC expected to make enormous amounts during the World Cup. "We are talking about $550 million. A large part of this money will go back to the 10 full members of the ICC. Twenty seven associate members will get 25% of the money and the rest, about fifty other countries, will get a certain sum to be divided amongst them."

"We would prefer that all the sponsors come to the ICC, so that there is no problem regarding sponsorship etc," he said when asked if the disputes arising out of sponsorship could be taken care of.

Speed said that in course of his visit, he will talk to about a dozen Indian sponsors, to know of their problems and requirements. "I am talking to Hero Honda, Pepsi, LG and some other major sponsors to know about their problems. We will try to address their problems."

Speed would not talk of possible solutions to the various issues that have been raised by the players association in various countries.

"We had sent the contract to the affiliated units on 24th of December 2001. They had enough time to go through the contract and raise any issues. The BCCI signed the contract on 27th of March 2002. Now the ball in the BCCI's court -- how it deals with its players is its problem. As far as we are concerned, we have made clear that we expect each country to send its best team to participate in the world cup. Otherwise, we have the option of suing them for breach of contract," he warned.

Referring to the political and social problems in Zimbabwe, he said as of now there was no move to drop Zimbabwe as one of the venues. "We are keeping a close watch on developments in Zimbabwe. A committee will visit that country shortly. Six games are scheduled to be played there. We do have a contingency plan in place just in case we have to drop Zimbabwe as a venue, however."

Talking about the unruly behaviour by Indian crowds in the ongoing one day series against the West Indies, Speed said the last two games had passed off peacefully and he hoped that there would be no problem in future.

"This problem is not just confined to India alone. It is a worldwide phenomenon. We have set up a committee headed by former pace bowler Wes Hall, who is president of the West Indies cricket board, to go into the safey aspect of the players as well as that of the umpires. We have not yet reached a stage whereby we have to impose a penalty on individual nations. But if the present trend continues, then we could have ask them to pay a fine or prohibit them from holding international matches at a particular venue for a period of time," he said.

Speed will meet BCCI officials Wednesday to sort out any and all outstanding issues between the Indian board and the global governing body.

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