ICC condemns Guyana government intervention

The ICC board has condemned the Guyanese government's interference in the functioning of cricket in Guyana. In a statement released after its meeting in Dubai, the board reiterated its stand that governments should have no involvement in the running of cricket in any country.

"The ICC Board was concerned to learn of the developments in Guyana where the government has dissolved the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and replaced it with an Interim Management Committee (IMC)," the release said. "In condemning this government intervention in the strongest possible terms, the ICC Board reaffirmed the principle of non-interference and that the only legitimate cricketing authority is that recognised by the West Indies Cricket Board."

The Guyanese government had dissolved the GCB due to a dispute over its July 2011 elections. The elections, in which Ramsay Ali became president, were boycotted by some of the board's constituent members, one of which, the Berbice Cricket Board, took the GCB to court, claiming the new administration was not properly established. The Chief Justice recommended that "there may be immediate need for the minister responsible for sports to impose his executive will in the national interest."

Following that ruling, Guyanese sports minister Dr Frank Anthony appointed the IMC, headed by ex-West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, who is also a former WICB director and chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee, to run cricket in Guyana. The WICB, however, refused to acknowledge the IMC and said the only authority they would recognise was the GCB. The impasse led to several problems, including Guyana nearly missing the Caribbean T20, the shifting of Guyana's first four first-class matches of the season out of the country, and the possible shifting of West Indies' Test against Australia in Providence scheduled for April.

In its annual conference in June, the ICC had taken a firm stance on government interference in cricket and had given its member boards two years to become democratised and free from government and political interference in a bid to improve governance within the game. In keeping with that stance, the ICC board strongly opposed the Guyanese government's actions.