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ICC Cancels Doha Meetings Amid West Asia Conflict, Shifts to Virtual

The International Cricket Council has cancelled its scheduled in-person board and committee meetings in Doha due to the ongoing West Asia military conflict and related airspace closures. Key agenda items, including discussions on global broadcasting rights for ICC events post-2027 and the next Future Tours Programme, will now be addressed virtually in the coming weeks. The conflict has also directly impacted international cricket fixtures, leading to the indefinite postponement of a limited-overs series between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka in the UAE. While virtual meetings will proceed, the possibility of in-person gatherings in April remains contingent on the reopening of airspace for safe travel.

Key Points: ICC Cancels Board Meetings Due to West Asia Conflict

  • Doha meetings cancelled due to conflict
  • Key issues include ICC broadcast rights
  • Future Tours Programme discussions affected
  • Afghanistan-Sri Lanka series postponed
2 min read

ICC calls off board meetings due to West Asia conflict

ICC calls off in-person Doha meetings over airspace closures from West Asia conflict, postpones key discussions on broadcast rights and FTP.

"the in-person meetings in April depend on the reopening of the airspace - ESPNCricinfo report"

New Delhi, March 10

The International Cricket Council Board and committee meetings scheduled for March in Doha have been called off due to the ongoing West Asia military conflict, reported ESPNCricinfo on Tuesday.

As per ESPNCrinfo, the meetings, particularly the ones related to the finance committee, will take place within the next few weeks virtually. But the in-person meetings in April depend on the reopening of the airspace which will enable board and committee members to travel safely and quickly. With that being said, the possibility of in-person meetings remains open.

The meetings were originally supposed to take place from March 25 to 27, including ICC Board directors, Chief Executives and Committee members along with the senior leadership of world cricket's governing body. Some of the key issues for these meetings were: Global broadcasting rights for ICC events, with the ongoing ICC-JioStar deal set to expire in 2027, the discussions over the next Future Tours Programme and the qualification pathway for Los Angeles Olympics cricket tournament. The work for the second issue is already in process in an informal manner, with several board are approaching each other to shape up the next four years of cricket calendar.

This year was the first time ICC was holding meetings in Qatar, which has reported a participation growth of 447 per cent. But however, with flights being limited, hosting meetings during this time became difficult.

The West Asian crisis has also affected international cricket, with the limited-overs series between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, set to take place from March 13-25 in UAE initially, have been postponed indefinitely.

The US-Israel and Iran conflict has entered its second week now.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
It's sad how conflict disrupts everything, even sports. My heart goes out to all affected. On a practical note, the broadcast rights deal is a massive financial decision for world cricket. Hope the virtual discussions are thorough.
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Aman W
Postponing the Afghanistan series is the right call. Player safety is non-negotiable. But the ICC needs to have better contingency plans. The world is unpredictable, and major sporting bodies can't be this reactive every time.
S
Sarah B
Interesting that they chose Qatar for the first time. A 447% growth in participation is no joke! Shows the sport's potential in new regions. Hope peace prevails so such initiatives aren't stalled.
V
Vikram M
The JioStar deal expiring in 2027... that's a huge one for Indian fans. Hope the next deal ensures wider and more affordable access for everyone in the subcontinent. Digital rights are key.
K
Karthik V
This is a respectful criticism: while virtual meets are okay, nothing beats in-person discussions for such high-stakes topics. The "informal" FTP talks between boards sound messy. Needs more structure, conflict or not.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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