The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has been put under the gun by the International Cricket Council (ICC) as the global body has asked the US $23 million (roughly ₹160 crore) before December 31 to recompense for the tax deductions acquired in hosting the 2016 World T20 in India.
Former BCCI president Shashank Manohar is the head of the ICC, who is expecting BCCI to compensate them for the tax deductions when India hosted the tournament a couple of years back and did not get a refusal from the central or state ministry. BCCI has been reminded of this demand, mentioned in the minutes of ICC’s board meeting in Singapore in October.
In a matter of just 10 days, BCCI has to comply with the ICC’s demand as the governing body has threatened that should BCCI fail to do the needful, it will deduct that amount from India’s revenue share for the current financial year. The ICC has also threatened that should India fail to comply, the governing body will look at “other options” to host the 2021 Champions Trophy and the 2023 50-over World Cup, which are scheduled to be hosted by the BCCI.
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Star TV, the official broadcast rights holder of all ICC tournaments, had deducted all taxes before paying the global body for the World T20 played in 2016, and now the global body wants the BCCI to compensate for it.
As per the reports of Times of India, one of their sources said, “The ICC hasn’t provided any minutes to the BCCI yet.”
The sources further added, “And now, the ICC is shying away from sharing any minutes because they don’t have any. They just want to recover that money from India. Time and again, Shashank has targeted BCCI for his own personal agenda.”
However, the BCCI convinced that should ICC fail to share the minutes, no payment will be made and should the ICC deduct the money from India’s revenue, legal recourse will be sought. One of the BCCI officials clarified that now it has become a trend to blame BCCI.
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The BCCI official further added, “Biting the hand that feeds, eh? Is that what it has come down to? A sports body that has economic value primarily because it feeds on India’s commercial stake in the game is telling India that it cannot host a World Cup? And that too with an Indian heading that organization right now?”
