ICC-BCCI meet on WADA issue, tax waiver, per match hosting fee
The ICC Chairman and the BCCI, represented by its CoA CEO will be meeting in Mumbai in order to arrive at a consensus over various issues. The BCCI will be putting forward its case concerning the anti-doping policy, tax waiver, and hike in per match hosting fee for international tournaments.
Rahul Johri, the BCCI CEO and the three-member Committee of Administrators would be representing the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in its meeting with Shashank Manohar, the International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman, reported PTI. The first major issue to be discussed would be about the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) apprehensions about the domestic anti-doping programme in India.
The issue was updated to the members of the ICC, during its recent six-day long Board Meeting in Dubai. As per the compliance policy of WADA, the BCCI would be needing to come under the purview of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA). After the meeting, ICC had stated that “The Board unanimously acknowledged its desire to remain WADA compliant and committed to working in partnership with the BCCI, WADA and the India NADA to resolve the outstanding issues as a matter of urgency,” reported PTI.
However, BCCI has claimed it was already WADA compliant. “The players’ urine samples are tested at the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) and the top cricketers’ whereabouts have been consistently updated on WADA’s database. We have started the process of creating athletes’ biological passport also,” said a BCCI representative.
Speculations are rife that the BCCI might hand out a dossier on a list of NADA’s sample collection blunders in the past to support their cause. “We will be reiterating our stand. We have absolutely zero faith in NADA’s DCOs. We can have our own chaperons who will be helping the players in sample collection but our players will simply not be comfortable giving samples to NADA DCOs,” the representative added.
The ICC had earlier requested the Indian Government to waive $22 million (₹150 crore) with respect to the 2021 T20 World Cup and the 2023 ODI World Cup. At the moment, the tax laws in India don’t allow the waiver and there has been a possibility that the tournaments could be shifted by ICC to other countries in the subcontinent.
The BCCI has apparently been trying to arrange other alternatives to make the payment of the said amount. The apex cricket governing body in the country would also request some of its own sponsors and broadcasters to carry the tax burden.
“The ICC chairman was very categorical that BCCI needs to pay the amount if they can’t manage tax waiver. We have demanded time till general elections. But we have prepared an alternate plan,” the representative asserted.
The ICC World T20 would replace the 2021 edition of the Champions Trophy, which would be hosted by India. It is anticipated that the BCCI would be putting forward its request to the ICC to increase the per match hosting fee of the World T20 from USD 200,000 (Rs 1.37 crore) to USD 350,000 (Rs 2.41 crore).
“We have learnt that ICC has recently agreed to increase the per match hosting rights for the 2020 World T20 in Australia to USD 350,000. We would request them to do the same for us. Right now, we are in 2019 but the costs will increase rapidly in 2021 and we need to be prepared,” said the official.
Among other things, the CoA, headed by Vinod Rai would also have its meeting to discuss various agendas such as the outcome of the