Indian players dragged into fresh ambush marketing row

The International Cricket Council (ICC) have issued a fresh warning to the Indian players threatening them with severe action if advertisements involving them and flouting the ambush marketing clause continued.

On Friday, lawyers representing the ICC's commerical arm brought to the Indian team-management's attention ads being aired by Samsung India Electronics Limited, a rival of LG Electronics, an official sponsor of the 2003 World Cup.

"It is extremely regrettable that the IDI (ICC Development International) has been compelled to interrupt the Indian players and management during the tournament to address this problem," ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said in a statement issued to explain the action.

He went on to add that their was clear evidence that Samsung is blatantly flouting the World Cup agreement between ICC and the Board of Control for India (BCCI).

"This is a pre-meditated campaign designed to infringe and devalue the rights secured by IDI's commercial partners. It cannot and will not be tolerated," Speed observed.

The Indian players who feature in Samung advertisement are Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag, Dinesh Mongia, Ajay Ratra and Javagal Srinath.