ICL facing legal action over player dues: FICA

Indian Cricket League (ICL) might have started taking legal action against the ICC and BCCI but the ‘rebel’ entity itself is in danger of facing a court case from its disgruntled players who have not been paid their fees amounting to “millions of dollars”.

Federation of International Cricketers Associations (FICA) chief executive Tim May said sick and tired of being repeatedly informed that the outstanding dues would be given, the players, including eight from Australia, are mulling legal action against the ICL.

“For a number of months, FICA (on behalf of a number of players from numerous countries) has been in discussions with ICL in relation to outstanding payments to players, officials and support staff, relating as far back to 2008. These outstanding monies amount to millions of dollars,” May said.

“FICA and the players have constantly been informed by ICL that they will meet these obligations on specified dates. But these dates continually pass without any sign of payment.

“The players are sick and tired of the broken commitments from ICL and now they believe they have no other option than to contemplate legal action against ICL for the recovery of these payments,” May was quoted as saying in a website.

Eight Australians — Jason Gillespie, Damien Martyn, Jimmy Maher, Matthew Elliott, Michael Kasprowicz, Stuart Law, Ian Harvey and Ryan Campbell — are among more than 100 worldwide ICL players owed millions of dollars by the ICL.

There are also coaches from the eight teams, including Australians Michael Bevan and Steve Rixon, along with dozens of other support staff yet to be paid. Some of the Australians, including Kasprowicz, has severed ties with ICL to start commentating in official tournaments.

Set up in 2007, the ICL has not played a tournament since its second season was abandoned following the Mumbai terrorist attacks in November last year.
Source:- The Times of India 2 December 2009 Page No.26 Delhi

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