ICC Warns USA Cricket of Non-Compliance with Membership Criteria
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has warned USA Cricket (USAC) that it risks being “put on notice” for non-compliance with its Associate membership status. This warning comes barely a month after the USA co-hosted the historic T20 World Cup with the West Indies.
Non-Compliance Issues: USAC is potentially in breach on two counts:
- Governance Norms: USAC has not fulfilled the governance norms set by the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), which are necessary for it to earn National Governing Body (NGB) status. This status is mandatory for all sports added to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
- Administrative Structure: The ICC has also criticized USAC for not having a “fit-for-purpose administrative structure,” including failing to fill the vacant CEO position after the previous CEO was sacked months into his job.
ICC’s Statement: “USA Cricket is currently non-compliant with ICC Associate Member Membership Criteria 2.2(b)(i) (governance structure) and 2.2 (b)(ii) (administrative and executive structure) and is at risk of being placed ‘On Notice’,” the ICC stated in a note sent to all its members.
USOPC Concerns: The USOPC has expressed serious concerns about USAC’s governance model. If USAC does not achieve NGB certification, the USOPC will start the process to recognize an alternate NGB for cricket, potentially putting USAC in breach of ICC Membership Criteria.
Previous Warnings: This is the second time this year the ICC has alerted USAC about non-compliance issues. In March, the ICC warned USAC about not doing enough to become USOPC compliant and raised issues regarding the vacant CEO position and the lack of an independent director on its Board.
ICC’s Response: The ICC Board considered suspending USAC membership in March but decided against it to avoid disrupting USA’s preparation for the 2024 T20 World Cup. Instead, the ICC halted USAC’s annual funding, allowing only “controlled funding” on an “exceptional basis” to ensure cricket in the USA was not prejudiced.
Recent Developments: In its response on July 12, USAC informed the ICC that it had appointed an independent director, Pintoo Shah, who also took charge as the Treasurer. USAC argued that it was harsh for the ICC to threaten drastic action when it was working hard to meet compliance. USAC noted that it had only been informed of the NGB accreditation process in January, making it unfair to expect compliance by March.
Next Steps: USAC has received several applications for the CEO position and shortlisted candidates. The new CEO is expected to be appointed immediately after the ICC AGM.
The ICC continues to monitor USAC’s progress and has recommended stronger sanctions if non-compliance issues are not resolved.
