Cricket Board's Membership Cancelled: ICC Takes Drastic Measure

Dubai (The Uttam Hindu): The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the suspension of USA Cricket's membership with immediate effect. This decision was taken after a thorough review of matters over the past year and extensive consultation with key stakeholders. USA Cricket was put on 'notice' for non-compliance with ICC membership criteria during the 2024 ICC Annual General Meeting. The board was given 12 months to rectify the situation. However, it failed to do so and the ICC decided to suspend their membership.

According to the press release, during its meeting a few days ago, the ICC Board took this decision based on the repeated and continued breaches by USA Cricket of its obligations as an ICC Member under the ICC Constitution.

“These include, but are not limited to, the failure to implement a functional governance structure, the lack of progress towards achieving National Governing Body status with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), and significant actions that have damaged the reputation of cricket in the United States and around the world,” the ICC said in a press release.

With cricket set to return to the T20 format at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, which falls under the jurisdiction of USA Cricket, the ICC has decided to protect the interests of the sport and its players by retaining the right to participate in Los Angeles 2028.

The ICC Board has described the suspension as an unfortunate but necessary step to protect the long-term interests of the game and has decided that the US national teams will retain their right to participate in ICC events, including preparations for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

To ensure continued support for the players and maintain momentum towards Olympic participation, the management and administration of the USA national teams will be temporarily overseen by the ICC and/or its designated representatives.

“This move reflects the ICC's strong commitment to upholding the best interests of American cricketers and continuing its high-performance and player development program, which aims to elevate the reputation and capabilities of players representing the United States to new heights,” the ICC said in its release.