ICC may place USA Cricket ‘on notice’ over governance issues

Dubai, July 18: Barely a month after hosting its first ICC global event, USA Cricket (USAC) faces significant scrutiny from the International Cricket Council (ICC) for potential non-compliance with its Associate membership status.
The ICC has issued a stern warning to USAC, highlighting two primary areas of concern that could lead to the organisation being “put on notice”, says a report. The USA, co-hosting with the West Indies, staged the T20 World Cup in June across three venues, marking a milestone in the ICC’s ambition to break into the North American market. However, the warning underscores the challenges inherent in this ambition. The first issue pertains to USAC’s failure to meet the governance norms set by the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC). Achieving National Governing Body (NGB) status is mandatory for sports newly added to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, according to a report in ESPNcricinfo.
The second issue highlights USAC’s inadequate administrative structure, notably its failure to appoint a permanent CEO after dismissing the previous incumbent. “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’,” stated the ICC in a note sent to all its members attending the global cricket body’s AGM in Colombo on July 22.
The ICC has expressed broader concerns regarding USAC’s governance model, echoing sentiments from the USOPC. The USOPC has warned that failure to achieve NGB certification could lead to recognizing an alternate NGB for cricket, which would breach ICC Membership Criteria. (IANS)