Asif Iqbal disassociates
himself from CBFS
H S Rao
Asif Iqbal, chief coordinator of the Cricketers' Benefit Fund Series, on Thursday announced his
disassociation from the Sharjah-based body, saying "heavy infiltration of
politics in the sport has created an atmosphere about which I
feel deeply uncomfortable".
"I think the internal politics of Indian cricket infiltrated the government, and the government became a tool in
fulfilling its designs," Iqbal told PTI in London.
Iqbal said he had batted for the CBFS for 20 years on a level
pitch, where cricket and the welfare of cricketers were the
only considerations before him.
"But now the sharply turning politico-cricket that has
started has convinced me it is time to take the pads off," he
said.
Regretting that the "thoughtless decision" of the Indian
government has snuffed out cooperation between India and
Pakistan on which is based the Asian Cricket Council and the
Asian Cricket Foundation, Asif said the entire future of Asian
cricket as an institutional development is now in grave
doubt.
Answering queries, Asif said: "It is rather sad that one
particular sport -- cricket -- is targeted while the two
neighbours meet in other games like hockey.
Rejecting the charge that Sharjah is not a regular venue, Iqbal said unlike Toronto or Singapore, the desert centre has
been holding regular tournaments for 20 years.
"I think it is a joke to equate Sharjah with Singapore or
Toronto and to call it a non-regular venue. CBFS has staged by
far the largest number of one-day internationals; hundreds of cricketers from all over the world, in particular the Asian subcontinent, have been given
benefits, and the total amount paid would run up to millions of
dollars. The comparison of Sharjah with other off-shore venues
is therefore not even worthy of comment."
He said the modern game and cricketers all over the world should be grateful to Kerry Packer, who introduced the Kerry
Packer World Series, 25 years ago, which has benefitted the players
enormously. "At that time, the establishment was against Packer,
but now it has accepted the day-night playing conditions,
colour clothing and white balls which have become regular
features of the game," he said.
Like-wise, he continued, cricketers from the subcontinent, including Sri
Lanka, should be grateful to Abdurrehman Bhuktiar and the CBFS for
recognizing their services to the game and honouring them with
a purse of $35,000 each. "It is on record that millions of
dollars had been awarded to cricketers in the form of benefit
purses," he added.
You can also read:
Go, the government! The Prem Panicker Column.
Sharjah no part of ICC: Gray
Mail Cricket Editor