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Tim May
has stepped down as chief executive of the Federation of International
Cricketers' Associations (FICA) barely a month after he controversially
lost his position on the ICC cricket committee to Laxman
Sivaramakrishnan. May has been in charge of FICA since 2005 but said he
realised over the past 18 months that he was "tiring of working in a
sport that was increasingly at odds with the principles I respect".
The loss of May from the ranks of player representatives marks the end
of a 16-year era, for he has been involved since becoming the inaugural
president of the Australian Cricketers' Association in 1997. However,
May said he had become increasingly frustrated at the direction cricket
administration was taking, including its apparent unwillingness to make
governance changes recommended by the Woolf Report.
"More and more we see allegations of corruption and malpractice on and
off the field dominating headlines," May said. "As stakeholders in the
game we look to leadership from the ICC to address these and other
issues - a vital ingredient of any organisation is the ability of its
leaders to set the moral and principled example to others, and to police
its organisation from top to bottom to ensure adherence to those
principles.
"Yet cricket increasingly seems to be pushing aside the principles of
transparency, accountability, independence, and upholding the best
interests of the global game, in favour of a system that appears to
operate through threats, intimidation and backroom deals. Despite FICA
and many other stakeholders pushing for the recommendations of the Woolf
Report to be implemented to address these shortcomings, the ICC board
see no reason to change."
Among other things, the Woolf Report of 2012 recommended the ICC
executive board becoming more independent and less dominated by the
bigger countries, and also called for greater transparency at board
level. May said both the Woolf Report and 2001's Condon Report into
cricket corruption should have led to positive change in the sport,
including in its relationships with the players.
"I hope that the ICC and more of its board's members take heed of the
recommendations of both Lord Condon and the Woolf Report and form closer
and more productive relationships with players and their
representatives - rather than the current trend to resist proper player
representation; the players deserve better," May said.
"Increasingly the administrators of the game seek to force out or
alienate those who question its alleged misuse of power, or those who
seek greater transparency, or provide rational argument against the ills
of the administration. It appears that some administrators just don't
want to be held to account to the standards that are expected of them.
"There is a great opportunity for the ICC to arrest this trend and
become one of the world's best governed sports. For the future of the
global interests of the game, I hope this happens sooner than later -
because the current system is failing us."
May told the FICA board of his resignation, which is effective
immediately, at its recent annual meeting. The organisation is expected
to announce a new leadership structure in the coming days. Michael
Clarke, the Australia captain, said the players of the current era had
plenty of reasons to thanks May for his contributions to their cause.
"When I heard the news that Tim May was resigning from FICA, my
immediate thoughts were that this was a sad day for the game and the
world's players," Clarke said. "Throughout my time in cricket Tim has
been a constant presence, taking on the tough issues on behalf of all
players and doing so with amazing passion, strength and leadership. From
a players' perspective, his influence on the game should never be
forgotten. It's difficult to imagine where the players of today would be
without Tim May's contribution."
Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. He tweets here
Feeds: Brydon Coverdale
© ESPN EMEA Ltd.
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