The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : ICC likely to move its headquarters

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 14, 2004

Sport

Sport - Cricket

ICC likely to move its headquarters

By P. Subramanyam

LONDON, DEC. 13. International Cricket Council (ICC), the cricket's governing body is likely to change its home from Lord's to probably to Dubai, it was indicated.

ICC is poised to announce a move from its present headquarters in Lord's since 1909 as the British government failed to honour its assurances of tax concessions that may have persuaded the ICC to stay put in London.

However, offers are being considered from Ireland, Switzerland, Malaysia and Dubai, all of whom have offered tax exemptions and subsidised office space.

A spokesman, according to the BBC Sport hinted that a decision on the move could be made without a full meeting of the executive council. Dubai is considered highly as the most favoured destination.

It may be recalled that British Chancellor, Gordon Brown's budget statement earlier this month made no mention of tax concessions believed to have been verbally offered to the ICC last June. A difficult relationship with the British government took a further twist following comments from sports minister Richard Caborn, who said, "he would like to meet the ICC when they are next in town." The ICC has been at Lord's in north London, next to the Nursery End where practicing nets are situated since 1909.

President Ehsan Mani told the Daily Telegraph: "I was surprised to read that. Our chief executive, Malcolm Speed is based at Lord's and I live here in London."

The ICC was formed out of the Imperial Cricket Conference and in 1965 was renamed as the International Cricket Council, which has 10 full members — the Test nations — plus 79 associate and affiliated members.

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