West Indies didn’t tour England for $3 million loan, says CWI president

A loan of $3 million given to Cricket West Indies (CWI) by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has become a major talking point in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic. West Indies have been gracious enough to tour United Kingdom for a three-match Test series, although England have already witnessed 292,950 cases and 41,481 deaths till date.

The West Indies have already reached the United Kingdom to play three Tests and three T20Is in a bio-secure environment. The Test series will get underway on July 8 in Southampton.

“It was just a matter of when the tour would take place and if the ECB could assure the CWI medical experts that the health risk would be minimal to ensure the safety of our players and staff. Money had nothing to do with our final decision to make this tour. Holding out a hand for a pay-off is not the way CWI does business,” CWI president Richard Skerritt was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

Skerritt said the CWI had approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) in April for a loan as its financial situation had deteriorated amidst the global Coronavirus pandemic, but it was the ECB which bailed out the CWI.

“We needed cash urgently. The communication (with the ICC) was beginning to look like it would take quite long to be approved and CWI had no other reliable source of cash at that time. CWI asked ECB if they could make the advance instead, with the ICC providing the security. ECB agreed on the basis that ICC would then pay the advance back directly in July,” Skerritt informed.

“ICC finance officials were always fully aware of the transparent arrangements and soon became a legal party to the loan agreement,” CWI president added.

Cricket West Indies approached ICC in April for an advance of $3 million

CWI had approached the ICC this April seeking an advance of $3 million - an advance that would be taken against the annual distribution the ICC gives member countries twice a year - in January and July. The ICC asked the West Indies board to provide an external audit of future cash flow before making an advance payment three months in advance. Cricket West Indies were unable to provide this document quickly or with any certainty, given the circumstances of the pandemic.

Skerritt also denied that the loan meant that the West Indies cricket board was backing the outgoing ECB chief Colin Graves for ICC’s chairmanship.

According to the IANS, an enquiry was set up at the behest of ICC chairman Shashank Manohar who is reported to have asked the question internally of whether this loan was related to the upcoming elections to the ICC chairman’s post. The ICC Ethics Officer received the request on April 30.

The Ethics Officer concluded there was no ‘intentional violation’ committed by either of the two boards. He said that it was ‘clear beyond any doubt’ that the CWI and ECB arrangement was ‘in accordance with their pressing and necessary business and cricket’ reasons.

“I attest that I do not believe the loan was made or received in the context of, or in relation with the matter of the forthcoming election for a new ICC Chairperson,” the officer was quoted as saying.