TOUR FOR CRICKET CANADA (Image: X)
The International Cricket Council has suspended funding to Cricket Canada for the next six months due to governance concerns, according to a report by ESPNcricinfo. The move dealt a significant financial blow to the Board of Associate Members, which is heavily dependent on the ICC for funding for its operations.Despite the suspension, Cricket Canada’s ongoing cricket activities, including national team programs and high performance operations, are not expected to be immediately affected.Financial records for the year ending 2024 showed that ICC distributions accounted for nearly 63 per cent of Cricket Canada’s total revenue. Of the organization’s CAD 5.7 million in revenue, approximately CAD 3.6 million came directly from ICC support.While the ICC has not publicly stated the exact governance issues behind the decision, recent reports from Canada’s Fifth Estate investigative program cited several violations related to governance standards, financial oversight and administrative functioning on the board.The suspension comes during a turbulent phase for Cricket Canada, which has been surrounded by many controversies over the past year. One of the major ongoing investigations involves Canada’s match against the New Zealand national cricket team during the recent ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which is currently under review by the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU).In another controversy, former Canada head coach Khurram Chohan reportedly claimed in a leaked phone recording that former senior board officials pressured him to select specific players for the national side. The tape also allegedly contained allegations of attempted match-fixing.Last month, in a statement to ESPNcricinfo about the corruption probe, Andrew Ephgrave, interim head of the ICC’s anti-integrity unit, said: “Governance matters in relation to ICC members are reviewed by the ICC where they fall under its jurisdiction, in accordance with standard ICC constitutional processes.”The ICC’s decision came shortly after Cricket Canada held its annual general meeting on May 9-10, where the board announced several reforms as part of what it described as an “ongoing governance transformation initiative.” A new nine-member board of directors was also elected during the meeting.
