WIPA turns down ICC/FICA offer for mediation

The West Indies Players Association has hit back at the West Indies Cricket Board's request to reconsider an offer from the ICC and FICA to end the stand-off between the two Caribbean bodies, saying the board appeared to be having second thoughts over pursuing the legal course of action.

"Mindful of the acceptance of the recommendations of the Caricom prime-ministerial sub-committee on cricket of 11th September 2009 by both WIPA and the WICB, the agreement brokered by Caricom and the New York Agreement, the WICB and WIPA agreed to two special binding arbitrations which are due to be heard shortly before a panel of distinguished Caribbean jurists. WIPA fully respects and is willing to submit to the decision of the arbitration panel appointed by Caricom, win or lose. It appears that the WICB is having second thoughts," the WIPA statement read.

Earlier WICB had said it had been approached by the ICC and FICA to finalise a dispute over image rights, the latest in a long series of disagreements with the WIPA. WICB had contended that WIPA preferred to pursue costly arbitration, which prompted the response from the local players' association.

"WIPA does not intend to breach these agreements to go to non-binding negotiations / mediation with the ICC and FICA. Following the agreement hammered out by president Jagdeo in Georgetown, Guyana in July 2009 and signed by the presidents of the WICB and the WIPA, mediation was tried unsuccessfully last August in respect of the matter mentioned in the WICB release of 20th August 2010," the WIPA statement said.

"WIPA's position on the WICB's proposal to once again attempt non-binding negotiations / mediation on this matter was conveyed to the ICC and FICA who both indicated that they understood and respected WIPA's view. However, WIPA did inform the ICC and FICA that it would be happy to have their assistance with a number of other outstanding matters."

Strikes and player dissatisfaction over wages have been a feature of West Indies cricket over the past few years. Another dispute emerged over the past month over payments to Guyana for the upcoming Champions League Twenty20 tournament in South Africa.