da esoccer bet： India’s cricketers are forging an alliance with the world players’ tradeunion, the Federation of International Cricketers (Fica), as they try toavoid further sponsorship disputes before the ICC World Cup next year
Anand Vasu21-Sep-2002India’s cricketers are forging an alliance with the world players’ tradeunion, the Federation of International Cricketers (Fica), as they try toavoid further sponsorship disputes before the ICC World Cup next year.”It can only do us good,” said a senior Indian player, “we need to be a partof the association that takes care of our interests. We have had a bitterexperience over the players contract issue and we don’t want to go throughthe whole agonising process again.”Fica’s joint chief executive, former Australian off-spinner Tim May, who iscurrently in Sri Lanka talking to the world’s leading players, welcomed themove, arguing that Fica would be able to help protect their commercialinterests and avoid further controversies.”The Indians have shown willingness to join the Association and we would beonly too happy to have them on board,” said May. “The Association’s main aimis to ensure that interests of all the players are protected.”While the players are in favour of joining Fica, the Board of Control forCricket in India (BCCI) would prefer to deal directly with the players. Whennegotiations took place in England recently, the BCCI initially rejected aplayers’ proposal that former India captain Ravi Shastri act as theirrepresentative.”History will say that the BCCI like to deal directly with players ratherthan with representatives,” said May. “That is something the players andtheir association need to sort out with the BCCI. I think all governingbodies like to deal with players directly because player associations canbring a lot more expertise in dealings. Without them governing body has anadvantage. The players are trying to wrest back that advantage and bringabout some kind of equity.”While he admitted that the Indian players were worst hit at the moment, Maywarned that players from other countries might face the same problems in thefuture.”In terms of the player terms dispute that concerns the Champions Trophy andthe World Cup the Indian players are the most affected at this stage.Currently, we’re really concerned about their obligations to their sponsorsoutside of the ICC sponsors. We’re led to believe that the player terms areconsistent up to the 2007 World Cup and that means that players from anycountry could be affected.”Fica has already worked with the Indian players, offering advice and supportduring the contract dispute that threatened their participation during the current ICC Champions Trophy.”During the dispute there was constant dialogue between the Indian playersand their representative Ravi Shastri and FICA. We were kept abreast of whatwas going on and if they needed any particular advice on a problem weprovided that,” said May.”There has been a compromise for this tournament but there needs to be aprocess between the Fica, the ICC and the Indian players that will ensurethat all parties come out of this issue with satisfactory outcomes,” saidMay. “We need to have the best players to play the best tournaments.”May is only too aware that the players and the ICC have to tread carefully.Mistakes have been made with regard to sale of player rights but Fica willnot want to jeopardise a massive USD $ 550 million broadcasting andsponsorship deal with the Global Cricket Corporation.”The players have been dealt an impossible card and we have to try and comeout of it as best as possible. We’re very mindful that the ICC has gotsponsorship for a large sum of money and this aids the health of cricketworldwide. We want to protect that and it’s important that we protect theposition of the players as well.”Stressing on the fact that the players were helpless in certain situations,May said, “Where it gets incredibly difficult is when a player has anexisting contract with a sponsor that clashes with the ICC sponsor. But thepersonal sponsor has no contract with the ICC and even if the playerrequests that his image not be used during the stipulated period this maynot stop the sponsor from going ahead. The player is helpless in thisregard.”While highlighting FICA’s commitment to the players’ interests, Maystressed the importance of solving the problem: “The ultimate action is forplayers to pull out of these tournaments where there are contractualdisputes. But our objective is to have the best players play the besttournaments. So rather than making demands and threats at this stage, whatwe want to do is find solutions. I’m sure this is what the ICC want to do aswell.”