ICC Senior Official In News ‘Fixing’ Scandal

By  Faraz Shauketaly

Upeka Nell, the Tournament Director of the ICC for the T-20 world cup to be held in Sri Lanka in September this year has been caught  blatently trying to ‘fix’ a news story in  The Sunday Leader on the controversy surrounding the US $ 12 million promotional campaign. The Sunday Leader contacted her asking for the present status of the agreement. 

She initially denied any knowledge only to relent and say, “all I can say is that discussions are still underway. That is all I can say. Please respect that.” Just before going into print Uppekha Nell had the audacity of phoning back to say that she had spoken with the Chairman of Leader Publications – owners of the Sunday Leader implying that the story will not be run. “ I just want to say that I didn’t provide the emails.”

For the ICC to pull strings to stop a story is the height of double standards. If this is how the ICC managers try to ‘fix’ a story how can it ask ICC member states to have elected officials and cricketers not ‘fix’ matches. It is surprising that the ICC does not understand that the Board of Leader Publications and the Editorial of The Sunday Leader is separate and distinctly so. 

(full story on page 12)