FICA concerned with CWAB
Image : Cricfrenzy
||CF Correspondent ||
Federation of International Cricketers Association on Tuesday extended its support for striking Bangladesh players and said it would review the membership of the Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh for not fulfilling its role.
‘FICA commends the players in Bangladesh for their unity and for taking a stand together in order to secure fair conditions applicable to them as professional cricketers,’ FICA Executive Chairman Tony Irish said in a statement
‘This has happened despite the challenging environment for players to collectivize in Bangladesh and it is a clear indication of the need for change in the way players are treated in what we regard as an important cricket country,´
‘It is also clear to us that the players in Bangladesh don’t feel heard or respected in relation to important issues that affect them in their careers and that affect their livelihoods.
‘ It is the role of a players’ association to be the voice, and collective representative, of the players, and it is a matter of concern to us that the Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh does not appear to be fulfilling this role at a very critical time for the players.
It is of further concern that it appears that office bearers of CWAB hold positions with the Bangladesh Cricket Board.’
‘Given the collective nature of the issues we believe that it’s important for FICA to offer its support and assistance to the players during this time,’ he said.
Irish added in the statement that at FICA’s Annual Meeting held in London earlier this month the FICA board discussed and approved amendments to FICA’s membership and minimum standards framework.
It was resolved that the new framework should focus on ensuring that member players' associations are both genuinely representative of current players and clearly independent from relevant governing bodies.
‘In a follow up to these changes, FICA intends to review CWAB’s current membership of FICA,’ he said.
Members of Bangladesh national cricket team and senior players on Monday announced the boycott of national and international cricket unless their 11-point demands were met.
One of the key demands of the players was the resignation of CWAB officials.
CWAB president Naimur Rahman at a press conference on Tuesday said they will not resign but give an election soon for a new committee.
‘’If they think, not all of them, the players who were in the protest yesterday, they think CWAB is not working for them. From that realization they wanted our resignation. They can want that but CWAB is not an association of those people. We have to see if everyone wants this. CWAB is an association of current and former players. We have to see everyone wants the same,’’ said Naimur.
As CWAB vice President Sujon bhai is there, Debu as secretary is there. We have played national eague during the worst period of our cricket. so we are more sufferers than them. and we always asked to improve the quality of first-class cricket to improve our Test cricket. So if they question about these matters, then it is very sad because CAWB was always there to protect their rights.
‘’This foundation has always run with the players and it will run in the same way. If they want new leadership, we will move on. There are other players too,’’ he said.
‘’So who will be wanted by everyone, he will come. We don’t want to stay here by force. Maybe there are some differences in perception because of the generation gap,’’ he concluded.
