ICC All Set to Suspend USA Cricket Before LA28 Olympics

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is planning a big reset at USA Cricket (USAC). This is being done at the request of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC). The goal is to help USAC meet the standards required to become a National Governing Body (NGB). This is important because only NGB-certified bodies can send teams to the Olympics.

Notably, Cricket was added to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games in 2023. The full schedule is not out yet but the dates for the LA28 Olympics have been revealed. The United States, as the host nation, is expected to host teams in both men’s and women’s events. However, to participate, USAC must first get NGB recognition from the USOPC.

ICC Calls For USA Cricket Suspension

In July 2023, the USOPC had warned USAC that it could be removed as the official body for cricket in the US. Since then, the ICC has been working closely with the USOPC to fix things. On July 10, the ICC sent an email to USAC with a six-step roadmap. This came just before the ICC’s annual meeting, which will be held in Singapore on July 20.

ICC's Normalisation Committee, led by the chairman Jay Shah, prepared the roadmap. The group has met with USAC leaders twice once online in April and then in person in Los Angeles in June. In both meetings, the USAC was told what needed to be done. The ICC made it clear that changes were necessary to restore proper governance and get Olympic approval. Hence, it called for USA Cricket Suspension.

The first step in the roadmap is to remove the current independent directors on the USAC board. They would be replaced by three new directors, including at least one woman. These names will be chosen by the ICC and USOPC together. Next, all current directors will be required to take a two-year break. This break could be longer depending on new rules that will be added to the USAC constitution.

Once the new directors are in place, the rest of the board will step down. Then USAC can officially apply for NGB recognition. The roadmap also includes a complete review and update of the USAC constitution. A USOPC observer will also join the new board. This person will guide USAC on good governance and ensure future elections are fair.

Fresh Start Ahead of LA28 Olympics

The ICC USA Cricket decision is for the betterment of the future of cricket in the country. On June 30, the USOPC sent a letter to USAC CEO Johnathan Atkeison. The letter said that without leadership changes, USAC would not be eligible for NGB status. The USOPC added that past efforts by the board had failed to build a functional team. They believe that a new board and new culture are needed for future success.

USOPC official David Patterson accepted that the current board had good people, but they were not working well together. He said sometimes a complete reset is the only solution. However, he warned that it would take six to nine months for the changes to take full effect. On July 13, USAC held a meeting to discuss the ICC’s proposal. Chairman Venu Pisike said the majority of the board members did not want to step down. They preferred to keep talking with the ICC and USOPC to find another solution.

Pisike said the steps in the July 10 email were only suggestions and not final. He hopes the ICC will choose a different option. He also claimed that just replacing the board won’t automatically fix the problems. Further, he claimed that during the earlier meetings with the ICC, they had discussed multiple options.