FICA Chief Requests Extension Of Conduct Standards – 12/12/2005 Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) Chief Executive, Tim May, today endorsed ICC CEO, Malcolm Speed, in his call for players to support and comply with the games ” Spirit of Cricket” . However, he stressed that player support for such behavioural standards would only be maintained if the ICC extended the same standards of professionalism and behaviour to include the conduct of the games’ administrators. FICA believes that the ICC and its members could currently be accused of double standards, unless the ICC was additionally charged with the responsibility or ability to investigate alleged misbehaviour and misconduct of the games’ administration. May commented: ” As the game’s trustee the ICC should be charged with maintaining appropriate standards from both the games players and the games administration. ” Players, particularly those in Zimbabwe, or those forced to play there, will find it difficult to fully accept Speed’s call when the ICC has not seen the need to intervene, or been unable to investigate, serious allegations about the games administration. ” In an environment where players have been subject to threats of physical and other forms of intimidation, public criticism of their on-field behaviour will have a hollow ring. ” The ” Spirit of Cricket” extends beyond the boundaries of the field – the game, and the success of the game and the game’s image will be judged not only by the professionalism and behavioural standards of the players but also of the conduct of the games’ administration. ” Presently the ICC’s constitution only allows it to investigate and intervene in alleged misconduct of the players. Whilst admitting that the ICC itself was constrained by this limitation, May called upon the Member Countries to hold themselves equally responsible for the game’s image and urged such Member Countries to allow a constitutional change to enable ICC to investigate and take appropriate actions against Member Countries for conduct not in the Spirit of the Game or conduct that falls short of expected international standards. ” Players are only too happy to recognise their responsibility to the game’s image but equally recognise that the games administrators should be answerable to the same standards of conduct expected of the players. ” The games handling of the present Zimbabwean issue has disillusioned and disappointed the majority of players around the world.”
