Dalmiya threatens to sue GCC for marketing failure

Jagmohan Dalmiya faces the media © AFP

Jagmohan Dalmiya, president of the Indian board (BCCI), has threatened to sue the Global Cricket Corporation (GCC) for poor marketing of the World Cup. Speaking to the media after the first day of the two-day Working Committee meeting, Dalmiya stated that a BCCI-appointed agency would look into the issue.

"We felt that Nimbus, the GCC's agent in India, had done a poor marketing of the World Cup," Dalmiya said. "We have decided to appoint an agency to investigate as to why it was done so poorly." A report on rediff.com stated the board has allocated Rs 50 lakh (US$107,000) for this purpose. Dalmiya warned that the BCCI would take the GCC to court if the agency came up with a report which was unfavourable to the GCC.

However, Dalmiya was in a far more conciliatory mood on the issue of the Indian board's dispute with the International Cricket Council (ICC) over player contracts. Dalmiya said that the BCCI would not approach the Court of Arbitration as it had received assurances from Ehsan Mani, the new ICC president, that the matter could be resolved through dialogue.

Dalmiya also clarified that the amount which the ICC had held back from the Indian board was US$6.5 million, and not US$9 million, as was earlier reported. Speaking to rediff.com, Brendon McClements, the ICC general manager, clarified the issue: "Both figures are right," McClements explained. "One is gross, the other is the net amount. The difference is approximately the subscription fee the BCCI has to pay the ICC for a couple of years."

Among other decisions taken by the Working Committee were a one-year extension for John Wright, the Indian team's coach, and Andrew Leipus, the physiotherapist, while Gregory Allen King's appointment as trainer was also ratified. All three have been offered contracts till the end of the Champions Trophy, which will be hosted by England in August-September 2004.

Dalmiya also annnounced a bonus to the entire Indian squad and the support staff for the team's excellent performance in the World Cup. "We may have lost the final but the players did the country proud in the tournament," said Dalmiya. "We have decided to honour all the 15 members of the squad by giving out bonuses worth US$2.5 million to them. The support staff of the team like the coach, physiotherapist and physical trainer will also receive separate bonuses."

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