Set back for Cricket Canada (Image: X)
According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, the International Cricket Council has suspended funding to Cricket Canada for the next six months over governance concerns. The move has dealt a significant financial blow to the Associate Member Board, which relies heavily on ICC funding for its operations.Despite the suspension, Cricket Canada’s ongoing cricket activities, including national team programs and high performance operations, are not expected to be immediately affected.Financial records for the year ending 2024 show that ICC distributions make up about 63 per cent of Cricket Canada’s total revenue. Of the organization’s CAD 5.7 million in revenue, approximately CAD 3.6 million came directly from ICC support.While the ICC has not publicly detailed the exact governance concerns behind the decision, recent reports by Canada’s investigative program Fifth Estate have alleged numerous violations related to governance standards, financial oversight and administrative work within the board.The suspension comes during a tumultuous phase for Cricket Canada, which has been mired in a number of controversies over the past year. A key ongoing investigation involves Canada’s match against the New Zealand national cricket team during the recent ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which is currently being investigated by the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU).In another controversy, former Canada head coach Khurram Chauhan allegedly claimed in a leaked phone recording that former senior board officials pressured him to select certain players for the national team. The recordings also allegedly contained allegations of attempted match-fixing.Last month, in a statement to ESPNcricinfo regarding the corruption probe, Andrew Ephgrave, head of the ICC’s interim anti-integrity unit, said: “Governance matters relating to ICC members are considered by the ICC, where they fall under its jurisdiction, in accordance with the ICC’s standard constitutional process.”The ICC’s decision came shortly after Cricket Canada held its annual general meeting on May 9 and 10, where the board announced several reforms as part of what it described as “ongoing governance transformation initiatives”. A nine-member board of directors was also elected in the meeting.
