FICA welcomes ICC's security initiatives

The executive committee of the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA) discussed a variety of issues including security, overseas players in English cricket and the future structure of the game, when it met in Kuala Lumpur last week.

Security was the most pressing item on the agenda. "FICA recognises the seriousness of the growing instability in some parts of the cricketing world," Jimmy Adams, FICA's president, said. "It is the role of FICA and its player associations to play a positive role in doing everything possible to ensure that cricket matches and events are played in the safest possible environments and provide the most applicable security arrangements to protect the safety of players."

Tim May, FICA's chief executive, welcomed the announcement by the ICC that the scope of the Anti Corruption and Security Unit would be broadened to encompass player safety. He added that FICA would recommend to the ICC that this group conduct a security workshop to consider key feedback from players, security experts and other sporting bodies in developing appropriate templates for security.

The executive also discussed new regulations regarding work permits for players wishing to play in England from 2009, and said it would " seek to discuss the finer details of the Rules with the ECB to ensure that players throughout the world will have a voice of input into any future review of these rules".

It also backed the ICC's Future Tours Programme proposal for 2012 onwards, "specifically its desire to give Test and other forms of cricket more structure and context within the games international calendar".

While welcoming the new ICC Anti-Doping Policy, which will come into force on January 1, FICA "stressed the need for the ICC to ensure that all countries adopt timely and appropriate education of all of its players … particularly in the circumstance where such member does not currently have its own domestic Anti Doping Policy".