ICC gone to far!!!!!!!!!

[Blewy]

This time it has...
They have stopped Pakistani spinner Saqlain Mushtaq from placing a sticker on his bat advertising the Ben Hollioake foundation...

IMO this has to be the biggest joke they have ever come out with, the sticker was no bigger than the allowed size for bat sponsership but they have deemed it not suitable...

I just cannot believe that they would stop someone advertising a CHARITY!!!

Great work International Clown Council!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!

[full_length]

Not surprised.

[Top_Cat]

Hmmmmmmmmm.......................pretty sad. Maybe we should start an online petition to protest against this, eh? I'd be behind it. We could send a URL to everyone we know to vote and it might have the added bonus of increased traffic for the site!

What does everyone think?

[Blewy]

Good Idea, not that those halfwits at the ICC would listen...

[Top_Cat]

You'd be surprised, GB.......maybe we'd get a personal message from Saqlain!

[Blewy]

ok TC if u want to get it up and running, im sure everyone here will sign it so that would give us a couple of Hundred...

[Simon]

thats pretty poor.
The ICC are a laughing stock, they cant run the game, they change the rules every 5 minutes and they allow someone who doesnt even bowl the bowl to play and will probably retire with more test wickets than anyone.
Just show me the dotted line and ill sign.

[full_length]

You'll be well advised to keep from dragging the Murali issue, however blurred, in here.
On that I would take issue at the ICC allowing the likes of Hair, Harper, and Emerson to continue officiating in test cricket. But this issue is not about that. Don't obfuscate it - you may sidetrack a worthy cause.

Greg Blewett, can you please pass on a link or sources for more information on this?
I'll sign a petition, and do more if necessary.

[Edited on 17/10/2002 by full_length]

[Blewy]

Will scrounge up as much info on this as possible...

[Simon]

Originally posted by full_length
You'll be well advised to keep from dragging the Murali issue, however blurred, in here.
On that I would take issue at the ICC allowing the likes of Hair, Harper, and Emerson to continue officiating in test cricket. But this issue is not about that. Don't obfuscate it - you may sidetrack a worthy cause.

Greg Blewett, can you please pass on a link or sources for more information on this?
I'll sign a petition, and do more if necessary.

[Edited on 17/10/2002 by full_length]

I needed an example to back up my claim that the members of the ICC have no balls and couldnt run a game of school yard cricket without stuffing it up somewhere.
But on the Saqlain Mushtaq issue they have really stuffed up. They are quickly ruining our game.
If this issue gets out in the media too much it will detract sponsors.
What do you think Pepsi officials are thinking about the issue right now?

[Blewy]

Ok here is the article in which it was reported..
Its from the BBC website, although there was talk about it on the radio this morning, I have since contacted the station and have spoken to the broadcaster he has said that if we get a petition up and running they would announce it on the station....

Anyway heres the story!!!

ICC bans Hollioake 'adverts'


Pakistan's Saqlain Mushtaq has been ordered to remove stickers from his Test bat displaying the Ben Hollioake Fund because they are against cricket rules.

Surrey off-spinner Saqlain, 25, stuck the stickers on his bat in the first Test in Colombo against Australia to advertise the charity set up by Adam Hollioake in the wake of his younger brother's death earlier this year.

But International Cricket Council match referee Clive Lloyd ordered their removal for the second Test in Sharjah because they constituted advertising.

Both Saqlain and Adam Hollioake have foregone potential sponsorship deals with bat companies - worth £10,000-plus-a-year to each individual - in order to promote the charity, which raises money to help children with terminal illnesses.

However, ICC regulations state only bona fide bat manufacturers' can advertise on the top nine inches of the front and up to 50% of the area of the back of cricket bats used in international matches.

Surrey captain Hollioake appealed to the ICC over its stance but Saqlain will not be allowed to display the stickers for the third Test, which starts on Saturday.

"The rules and regulations are there and they are clear," said Hollioake.

"I just hoped that in this instance they could show some leniency to what is fundamentally a good cause."

Any logo or endorsement has to be cleared with ICC standard protocol.

Exception

The only current area of the bat available is a maximum six square inches on the back of the blade, made available within the last 12 months for players to maximise sponsorship earnings.

ICC spokesman Mark Harrison said: "We have had requests from other charities in the past and we have said the same to them - there are guidelines to be followed and we have to be consistent."

Now, the only potential option other than the expensive one of setting up a bat company in the charity's name, appears to be an appeal for support to the England and Wales Cricket Board.

If the ECB was to back the promotion of the Ben Hollioake Fund and gained support from other countries' boards, such as Pakistan, the ICC might make an exception.


[Edited on 17/10/2002 by Gregory Blewett]

[Blewy]

So if someone can either start the petition or tell me how then we can really get some support 2morrow through the radio station!!!!

[V Reddy]

They may have rejected because they have rejected many charities advertising before. They thought that they can't show partiality towards only ben hollioke's charity. Also the rules state that only bat manufactures should advertise on bats. But i think they should be lenient towards charities and other good works.

[Blewy]

Yeah i understand that they have rejected other Charities, But its pretty ordinary for such a huge body to knock back charities, especially a charity for someone who served Cricket so well...

At this time cricket needs as much good publicity as it can get and im afraid that knocking back this charity has made them a laughing stock...

These adverts are non charitable and the players are getting nothing out of using up there sponsorship space to advertise them, so why should they be punished????

[Gotchya]

Whats going on ? The ICC really has gone too far, whats with an advertisement for a charity ? surely that doesn't conflict with their sponsors does it ? ugly..........

Where's the petition ?