After Bangladesh Expulsion Row, World Cricketers’ Association Locks Horns With ICC
As per the latest Flypped sports news, the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the World Cricketers’ Association (WCC) have come to disagree with each other over rules that take decisions on the use of personal data, names, and images of the players.
Based on a report by ESPNcricinfo, the WCA has accused the ICC of sharing the new squad participation terms with players from different countries.
This has superseded the 2024 agreement for both parties. The players’ body calls the new draft ‘unjustified 'and ‘exploitative’.
Responding to it, ICC said the agreement applies only to some national boards, not all World Cup teams.
Responding to this argument, WCA says that agreement should be unbiased and must cover all players who are part of the global players' association, regardless of which board they belong to.
3 Major Issues Behind The Clash of WCA and ICC
The recent clash between WCA and ICC stems from three major issues. These are
Starting with WCA, it says that ICC had granted too many permissions to use players’ names and images and had greenlit approvals for national boards. These include licensing to third parties.
The 2024 agreement restricts such use to ICC’s official commercial partners, allowing the WCA to negotiate on behalf of players.
The second major issue concerns WCA's claims that ICC’s draft allows the commercialisation of player data with board approval and designates ICC as the data owner.
The agreed version keeps player ownership of data. It also needs players’ consent before using personal data.
In the third issue, criticising ICC’s version, WCA says it assumes players' acceptance of the terms, even if the document is not signed by them.
The 2024 agreement, however, requires players to sign terms for each event.
ICC's New Rules Strip Players' Rights: WCA CEO Tom Moffat
As per the memo sent to players, Tom Moffat, the WCA CEO, states that the ICC’s new terms strip players of the rights it promised in 2024.
These include their use and sale to third parties without their prior permission.
Moffat also criticised disputes handled through the ICC's internal process.
He further alleged that the ICC and some member boards are profiting from the low-paid players at the World Cup. Among these, some are rookies.
Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Moffat said the WCA does not aim to disrupt the tournament but remains concerned about the new terms.
Moreover, it is the ICC’s draft that is weakening players’ rights, primarily for commercial purposes.
Weak Players Are Forced To Compete Under Unfavourable Terms
Moffat didn’t stop there; he added that it is worrisome that the weakest group of players is being told to compete under unfavourable terms compared to others in the same tournament.
He also noted that ICC events have become the primary source of income and career advancement for many players.
Even though WCA is in favour of ICC tournaments and game development, it still believes this should happen through players’ partnerships, not at their expense.
Furthermore, the WCA CEO said that affected players have signed the agreed squad terms but expect honour for the T20 World Cup from the ICC.
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