WI threaten boycott series against Bangladesh
Report from Sportal/SENsportsentral
Windies boycott series
West Indies Players Association president Dinanath Ramnarine has announced its members have withdrawn from the forthcoming series against Bangladesh due to an ongoing contractual dispute.
The WIPA has been locking horns with the West Indies Cricket Board for several months over players' contracts and the situation has reached a head with the month-long series scheduled to start on Thursday.
Bangladesh is due to play two Tests, three one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match in the Caribbean.
But Thursday's first Test is now in serious doubt following the statement from Ramnarine on Tuesday.
At a press conference at the Queen's Park Oval, Ramnarine's statement hit out at the WICB for its handling of players' retainer contracts, claiming the governing body has not delivered on its side of an agreement reached in 2007.
"The fact remains that the players have played their last four tournaments without a contract," he said.
"I repeat the players have played their last four series without a contract. They are now being asked to play their fifth consecutive series without a contract which is highly unacceptable.
"When a player called me last week and asked what was the position with regards to his injury while playing cricket for the West Indies in the just concluded Twenty20 World Cup, my response was that was there was no written contract in place and therefore any action that would have to be taken, would have to be taken in that context.
"Professional sportsmen should not be allowed to play any sport that has such a high risk without the necessary protection."
The WIPA and WICB met during the recent series with England where, the WIPA claims, agreement was reached on 'a number of issues, some of which were outstanding since 2007'.
As well as the issue of retainer contracts, the WIPA is claiming various match payments are outstanding and are in dispute over image rights.
The statement continued: "It is in this regard that WIPA met with the players in St Lucia on Saturday July 4 for almost three hours.
"The decision was taken that if the WICB did not meet with WIPA to resolve outstanding issues, the players would not make themselves available to participate in the upcoming series against Bangladesh. We have written to the WICB to meet on Monday July 6 and Tuesday July 7, but unfortunately the WICB have not responded.
"Having considered the situation carefully and dispassionately, and bearing in mind their own welfare without ignoring the concern of other stakeholders, the players have requested me as President of WIPA, the players' body, to inform the WICB, sponsors and the public that, regretfully, they cannot with immediate effect continue playing without any contracts with the WICB."
The WICB has yet to comment on the WIPA statement.
The first test is due to start tomorrow night at midnight AEST in Kingstown,St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Report from Sportal/SENsportsentral
Windies boycott series
West Indies Players Association president Dinanath Ramnarine has announced its members have withdrawn from the forthcoming series against Bangladesh due to an ongoing contractual dispute.
The WIPA has been locking horns with the West Indies Cricket Board for several months over players' contracts and the situation has reached a head with the month-long series scheduled to start on Thursday.
Bangladesh is due to play two Tests, three one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match in the Caribbean.
But Thursday's first Test is now in serious doubt following the statement from Ramnarine on Tuesday.
At a press conference at the Queen's Park Oval, Ramnarine's statement hit out at the WICB for its handling of players' retainer contracts, claiming the governing body has not delivered on its side of an agreement reached in 2007.
"The fact remains that the players have played their last four tournaments without a contract," he said.
"I repeat the players have played their last four series without a contract. They are now being asked to play their fifth consecutive series without a contract which is highly unacceptable.
"When a player called me last week and asked what was the position with regards to his injury while playing cricket for the West Indies in the just concluded Twenty20 World Cup, my response was that was there was no written contract in place and therefore any action that would have to be taken, would have to be taken in that context.
"Professional sportsmen should not be allowed to play any sport that has such a high risk without the necessary protection."
The WIPA and WICB met during the recent series with England where, the WIPA claims, agreement was reached on 'a number of issues, some of which were outstanding since 2007'.
As well as the issue of retainer contracts, the WIPA is claiming various match payments are outstanding and are in dispute over image rights.
The statement continued: "It is in this regard that WIPA met with the players in St Lucia on Saturday July 4 for almost three hours.
"The decision was taken that if the WICB did not meet with WIPA to resolve outstanding issues, the players would not make themselves available to participate in the upcoming series against Bangladesh. We have written to the WICB to meet on Monday July 6 and Tuesday July 7, but unfortunately the WICB have not responded.
"Having considered the situation carefully and dispassionately, and bearing in mind their own welfare without ignoring the concern of other stakeholders, the players have requested me as President of WIPA, the players' body, to inform the WICB, sponsors and the public that, regretfully, they cannot with immediate effect continue playing without any contracts with the WICB."
The WICB has yet to comment on the WIPA statement.
The first test is due to start tomorrow night at midnight AEST in Kingstown,St Vincent and the Grenadines.