ICC confirms Zimbabwe players' request for disputes resolution hearing

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today confirmed that the Zimbabwean players in dispute with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) have requested that this matter be dealt with through the ICC's Disputes Resolution procedures.

ICC President, Ehsan Mani, said that the ICC had advised both the ZCU and the players that this was a potential option open to the parties in this dispute two weeks ago.

"The ICC has previously advised both the ZCU and the player's representatives of the ICC's view and the external legal advice that we have obtained that this procedure may be applied in this case," said Mr Mani.

"At this time, the ZCU is not of the same view. It believes that a Disputes Resolution Committee does not have any jurisdiction over this dispute.

"However, the players have today advised the ICC that they wish to take this dispute to this forum. I understand that this is based on their own independent legal advice that the dispute falls within the jurisdiction of these ICC regulations.

"Should this matter go before a hearing under the ICC Disputes Resolution process, given the nature and complexity of this dispute, I would think that it would be several months before this process would be finalised."

The ICC's Dispute Resolution process is a system that is independent of the ICC or any party that is involved in a dispute.

Under the system, the Chairman of the ICC's Code of Conduct Commission, Michael Beloff QC, in consultation with the ICC Chief Executive, appoints a Disputes Resolution Committee of between three and five members suitably qualified to deal with the issues that are being contested.

Mr Beloff has a wide power to decide on the make up of the Committee to be formed to hear the dispute and its members can be drawn from within the ICC, its Boards and Committees or any person outside these bodies with relevant knowledge and expertise.

The Committee would then convene a hearing of the matter in dispute to make a decision on the issues.

The Disputes Resolution procedures are regulations of the ICC, adopted by the ICC in June 2002. Under the procedure, any decision by a Disputes Resolution Committee is final and binding on the parties involved.

The ICC has only had to establish a Disputes Resolution Committee on one previous occasion when there was a disagreement between Pakistan and New Zealand regarding touring commitments. This dispute was resolved by the parties prior to it going to a full hearing by this Committee.

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