International Cricket Council president Ehsan Mani has defended the six-match ODI ban on Indian captain Sourav Ganguly [Images] and urged the national boards to respect the verdicts of the match officials.

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"Once we set up a process, we must respect the integrity of that process. If we try to change it each time because someone does not like the decision, then it will be meaningless," Mani was quoted as saying by Gulf News on Thursday.

Mani said the ban on Ganguly was in accordance with the regulations approved by the member countries and as such the punishment was neither mild nor harsh.

"As per the rules, one can be banned for minimum of four matches or a maximum of eight matches. Ganguly got a middle-level ban," he said.

Ganguly was banned for six one-day internationals following India's slow over rate twice during the home series against Pakistan.

Asked if the punishment was a bit too harsh he said: "This decision was taken by the match referee and hence I cannot comment on it."

Mani also said the ICC [Images] will become a more efficient body when it starts operating from Dubai.

"We wanted all our units to be working under one roof. The ICC will be a more efficient and effective organisation when all our units starts operating from Dubai," he said.

Meanwhile, President of the West Indies [Images] Cricket Board Teddy Griffith said the preparations for the 2007 Cricket World Cup was going on in full swing.