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The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rejected the Subhash Chandra-owned Indian Cricket League's application to be approved as "unofficial cricket."
The ICC said the Board went through the application carefully, including assessing it against the criteria within the ICC regulations for approving such events. It also maintained that the event (ICL's T20) did not meet its criteria for approving as "unofficial cricket".
The criteria are as follows:
* Where the event takes place in an ICC Member country, whether the home board has granted approval or not.
* Safety and suitability of the venue, including anti-corruption considerations and the safety of players and officials.
* Whether the event has any meaningful role in the development of the game or has a specific charitable or benevolent purpose.
* Whether the event causes any conflict or perceived conflict with ICC events.
After due consideration, the Board resolved that the application should be rejected.
In relation to the possibility of players returning to official cricket from the ICL, the Board reiterated to Members the importance of protecting the fabric of the game. A clear message needed to be sent that players could not swap between official and unofficial cricket at will.
However, ICC also said that individual boards would decide what sanctions are to be imposed on players who play in the ICL.
ICC Ceo Haroon Lorgat said, "The Board gave the matter careful consideration but, looking at the criteria set out in the regulations, felt the application for approval could not be granted."
The ICL is not recognised by the national governing bodies in the ICC, and players who join it face an automatic ban from all forms of official cricket.
Essel Group chairman Subhash Chandra had earlier been quoted in media reports threatening to take legal action over the issue.
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