Tim May quits as head of FICA, says tired of 'battle for change'

Sydney: Tim May has quit as chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations and taken the opportunity to heavily criticise the International Cricket Council. FICA said in a statement on Wednesday that the former Australia test player, who had held the same post with the Australian Cricketers’ Association from 1997 to 2005, had informed the board of his resignation. [caption id=“attachment_842899” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Tim May. AFP[/caption] FICA — which represents players from seven of cricket’s 10 major countries, but not India — demanded last month that the ICC investigate former India international Laxman Sivaramakrishnan’s victory over May for a place as a player representative on the ICC’s Cricket Committee amid allegations of vote fixing. The ICC denied any evidence of wrongdoing in the vote and said that despite what it called initial “confusion” over the process that led to a re-vote, Sivaramakrishnan was elected fairly and according to its procedures. “Over the past 18 months or so, I came to the realization that I was tiring of working in a sport that was increasingly at odds with the principles I respect,” May said in Wednesday’s statement, without referring directly to the tainted vote. “It’s time for someone else to continue the battle for change. After 16 years in the player association business, it’s time that I handed over the reins to someone who has a fresh zeal for the position.” May said the current issues facing cricket, including corruption, means the ICC has to take more of a leading role. “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 favor of a system that appears to operate through threats, intimidation and backroom deals.” He criticised the ICC board for not taking more responsibility for instituting recommendations from the independent Woolf report which called for radical changes to the governing body, beginning with a restructuring of the ICC’s executive board. “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,” May said. “I trust that my successor will enjoy a climate where those on the ICC executive board who are strong and principled, will push for change …” The FICA executive said it will announce May’s replacement soon. Associated Press