ICC has no powers to impose sanctions: Gray

Lahore, Nov 17: The ICC has admitted that it had no powers to impose sanctions against India for refusing to tour Pakistan this winter. The president of the game's governing body, Malcolm Gray, told a crowded press conference that the PCB cannot be compensated for the estimated $15 million loss it is expected to incur following the cancellation of the series.

"It's sad and a pity that politics interferes with sports. But it is a matter between the two governments. The ICC cannot force the governments to change their stand because they make their foreign policies.

"We neither have the powers to compensate the PCB nor we can force the Indians to do so. All the ICC could do was the request the Indian government to realize the importance of the tour and international commitments. We did it by conveying the message through Indian representatives besides writing them personally," Gray, a former Australian Cricket Board (ACB) boss said.

Gray was put up with a barrage of questions ranging from betting and match-fixing to India's refusal to ICC's authority and powers. But unfortunately, most of the answers ended with Gray saying the ICC had no powers.

When asked if the ICC had no authority, then what was the purpose of its existence and why did it dictate the boards, Gray, said: "We are not dictating the boards?

"But frankly speaking we don't have a solution to India-Pakistan problems."

Asked if the ICC would press other boards to withdraw their teams from touring India, Gray said: "What has happened in the last couple of days, we certainly have to consider that proposal. But we don't have the powers to ask other teams to boycott India.

"I am not sure if the cricket boards would delegate those powers to us.

"The ICC has to be a central body with powers to control the sport effectively like other sports federations. Unfortunately, the boards don't give their authorities so easily."

Gray said sanctions needed to be discussed and finalized since the ICC was planning to impose a 10-year tour plan so that each team can play the other. "Obviously, it puts us in an uncomfortable position. We need to look at the effect of the threat of India pulling out (against playing Pakistan in Pakistan) and whether we can adopt any sanctions."

"The sanctions can be financial or suspension of their membership. By doing that we will be putting pressure on the governments to respect international commitments."

Betting and match-fixing: Gray admitted that the cricket administrators were slow to react to the problem in the initial stages. He, however, said the officials were now getting their acts together and were slowly getting there.

"Initially, we have to establish the history of the corruption and how big and wide it is, who are the culprits. We have to deal with those culprits vigorously and robustly."

Nevertheless, Gray admitted that the ICC cannot get to the absolute bottom of corruption. He agreed that the ICC cannot control corruption, betting and get rid of the bookmakers.

"What we have to do is to put places in practises that quarantine our players and educate them not to fall to temptations."

Gray said the ICC had no powers in terms of criminality and that can only be left to the jurisdiction of the individual governments. "All we can do is to suspend the membership of the boards who refuse to cooperate with ICC anti-corruption unit."

Gray said he didn't have the powers nor he wanted them to order inquiry against the ICC chief executive David Richards for hiding the involvement of two Australian players with bookmakers. "It's upto Sir Paul Condon (anti-corruption unit chief) to make his own judgement from the information that he put before him. But I would like to stress here that Sir Paul can investigate anyone (players and officials) on anything."

Gray said part of Sir Paul's job was to liaison with the boards on corruption issues like he has done in the case of Mark Waugh with the ACB after his name appeared in an Indian CBI report. The other part of his job, he continued, was to liaison with the officials of the governmental bodies with the countries. He revealed that Sir Paul's two investigators were in South Africa talking with Edwin King Commission and two were in India talking with the CBI.

"In India, the investigators are trying to establish what was behind the report, how much and how far they have taken the investigations back. They have reported back saying that not much investigative work has been done on the foreign players.

"They will now start their investigations against those foreign players."

ICC headquarter being shifted: Gray admitted that the proposal of shifting the ICC headquarters from London was in the pipeline.

He said in Singapore, discussions were held on the next location. "Holland, Monacco, Switzerland, Singapore and England are under consideration."

He said the ICC was also considering the appointment of both the third country umpires. He added that at the moment, the ICC was reviewing the standard of umpiring.