Indian board to back players in contracts issue

Chastened by the player-contract dispute which threatened to derail the 2003 World Cup, the Indian board has indicated that it will press hard to safeguard the interests of the cricketers when the contracts come up for renewal next year.

The issue which generated the maximum controversy was the personal endorsements commitments of a few Indian cricketers, which were in direct conflict with the tournament's sponsors. The Indian players finally signed a watered-down contract, but the Global Cricket Corporation (GCC), the right-holders for all ICC tournaments till 2007, then made a claim of Rs 220 crore (approx US$ 49 million) on the grounds that the players had breached their contract.

Jagmohan Dalmiya, the president of the Indian board, was keen to ensure that the mistake wasn't repeated. "The Board has to be cautious in future. It will do everything to protect the interests of the players."

Dalmiya also made it clear this was an issue which affected the Indian players more than cricketers from other countries. "The Indian players have been affected by the clause on personal endorsements. It has put them in difficulty. It is difficult for others to realise the depth of the problem. May be some players from Australia have such a problem, but other countries are not affected. It is time that we find a new system, a system which does not conflict with the interest of the players, so that such disputes can be avoided."

Dalmiya also stated that the GCC's claim would not stand in a court of law. "The claims have not been withdrawn. We felt that bogus claims have been raised against us and we have brought all this to the knowledge of the ICC. Of the Rs 220 crore claim, 10 to 15 crore (approx US$ 2.25 to 3.35 million) was on account of England not playing Zimbabwe, and New Zealand not playing Kenya," Dalmiya explained. "Our lawyers have been working and we have been able to show on paper that these claims would not stand the test of law."