IPL refuses to relent, but now FICA's fine with security issue

Updated on: 03 March,2010 08:26 AM IST |
Correspondent |

Australian cricketers and the FICA have obviously climbed down from their earlier rigid stance despite the IPL authorities steadfastly refusing to provide evidence of their security plans to player unions around the world

The contracted Australian players, numbering 22, are set to travel to India while former stalwarts Brett Lee, Shane Warne and Damien Martyn are reportedly on their way.

In a face saving gambit, Tim May, chief executive of the International Cricketers Associations, said yesterday the change had come about because unions were now in possession of far more substantial information regarding security.

Indian Premier League head honcho Lalit Modi

"This is a significant step forward," May said.

"The more information you provide the players with, the greater the likelihood that they will attend the event."

Conceding that "utopia had not yet been reached", May said: "The new information has given us greater confidence. Last week we were operating in an information vacuum."

Independent consultant Reg Dickason, appointed by the cricketers association, who is currently working with the England team in Bangladesh, has opined that the threat from the hitherto unknown 313 Brigade, ostensibly an offshoot of the al-Qaeda, is "not credible".

Meanwhile, Ian Smith, the legal director of the English union of the Federation of International Cricketers Associations was critical of IPL head honcho Lalit Modi while reluctantly conceding that the situation had improved "markedly".

"The situation is a hell of a lot better than it was a week ago," Smith is quoted by news agencies as saying.
"Ultimately, it comes down to individual players and their individual circumstances."

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