NEW DELHI – In what could be a major blow to the Board of Control forCricket in India (BCCI) and India’s standing in the international sportscommunity, the ICC is exploring alternative host countries for the 2021 ICCChampions Trophy, which is scheduled to be held in India, due to a lack oftax exemptions from the Indian government.
While the ICC said that it’s management, supported by the BCCI, willcontinue the dialogue with the Indian government to find possiblesolutions, cricket’s world governing body has directed it’s management toexplore alternative host countries in a similar time zone.
“In other matters, the Board expressed their concern around the absence ofa tax exemption from the Indian Government for ICC events held in Indiadespite ongoing efforts from both the ICC and BCCI to secure the exemptionwhich is standard practice for major sporting events around the world,” ICCsaid in a statement.
“The Board agreed that ICC management, supported by the BCCI will continuethe dialogue with the Indian Government but in the meantime directed ICCmanagement to explore alternative host countries in a similar time zone forthe ICC Champions Trophy 2021.”
Meanwhile, ICC also announced that Afghanistan and Ireland, who weregranted Full Member status in June 2017, will receive increased fundallocations.
“ICC Board agreed a revised financial model incorporating increasedallocations for Ireland and Afghanistan as the newest Full Members of theICC.
The new model will see Ireland and Afghanistan each receiving a percentageof the projected surplus, amounting under current projections toapproximately USD 40m each over the course of the current eight yearcommercial rights cycle.”