ICC suspends USA Cricket over governance failures

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (CMC):

THE INTERNATIONAL Cricket Council has suspended USA Cricket’s (USAC) membership with immediate effect over repeated breaches of its obligations under the ICC Constitution.

In a statement issued yesterday, the sport’s global governing body cited failures by USAC to implement a functional governance structure, lack of progress towards recognition by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and actions that caused reputational damage to the sport in the US and globally.

As a result, management and administration of the teams will be overseen temporarily by the ICC or its representatives to maintain support for players and high-performance programmes.

“The decision, taken by the ICC board during its meeting earlier, was based on USA Cricket’s repeated and continued breaches of its obligations as an ICC member under the ICC’s Constitution,” an ICC press release said.

“These include, but are not limited to, the failure to implement a functional governance structure, lack of progress towards achieving National Governing Body status with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and significant actions that have caused reputational damage to cricket in the United States and around the world.”

Describing it as “unfortunate but necessary”, the ICC said it was forced to take such extreme action to “protect the long-term interests of the game, and the ICC’s top priority remains ensuring that the athletes and the sport itself are not impacted due to the suspension.”

Despite the suspension, USA will still be allowed to participate in the T20 World Cup, starting in February in India and Sri Lanka, and have also been given the green light to continue preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

The suspension comes just over two months after the ICC, at its annual general meeting in July, granted USAC three months to hold “free and fair elections” and carry out “comprehensive” governance reforms.