Become autonomous or face sanctions: ICC to member boards

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday decided to go the International Olympic Committee (IOC) way and told its member boards to become autonomous, failing which it might consider imposing sanctions on them.

Sharad Pawar with Ijaz Butt

The ICC Annual Conference which concluded here on Thursday, noted that as per the principles of modern sporting governance, the national federations should be autonomous and free from government interference.

According to a media release, the ICC also said that all its member will have to implement the new provisions before the next annual conference in June 2012 and a further 12 months time would be given to the national boards before considering sanctions against them.

"This is a significant step towards achieving best practice and, together with the independent governance review, I am excited by the commitment of the ICC to introduce best possible corporate governance," ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said in a statement.

Although he acknowledged the disappointment of its associate and affiliate members for not increasing the number of competing teams in the ICC World Twenty20, Lorgat said the international body was committed to make cricket a global game.