Mumbai: The International Cricket Council's (ICC) Members Participation Agreement (MPA) that demands an unconditional consent from Full Members for taking part in the assorted signature events of ICC scheduled from 2008 to 2015, is likely to result into a long-drawn quarrelsome affair in the coming months.

At a meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) principal office-bearers here on Tuesday, those with the full grasp of marketing nuances, dissected the MPA, tried to reflect upon and came to a conclusion that "unless the ICC drastically modifies" the MPA, the BCCI would not sign on the dotted line.

Avoiding the trap

The BCCI Vice-President Lalit Modi appeared very categorical in his statement saying the BCCI will not fall into the trap like as it did before the 2003 World Cup in South Africa and eight years ago.

Mr. Modi said the BCCI would look after the endorsement-related interests of the players and the BCCI's revenue streams. "We will respond to the MPA `clause-by-clause'. We have prepared a draft that will be circulated to the BCCI members and thereafter it will be sent to the ICC, which has given us one week's time to revert with comments. We cannot be a party to the MPA in its present form,'' said Mr. Modi.

The principal office-bearers, who include BCCI President Sharad Pawar, Secretary Niranjan Shah, Treasurer N. Srinivasan, Vice-Presidents Modi and Shashand Manohar, former President Inder Singh Bindra and Head-Administration, Prof. Ratnakar Shetty, met for four hours at the Mumbai Cricket Association office.

"The MPA is an 84-page document and we had to do a lot of homework. The MPA in its existing form affects BCCI's commercial interests, gives ICC the right to change agreement unilaterally and affects the players' interests. Other members of the ICC have not experienced the operational issues of the MPA.

"The MPA would affect the BCCI and the players' interests for a period ranging from six to nine months. We are very unhappy with the way is the MPA is drafted. Yes, a few members have signed, but it's not our concern. We are not forced to play ICC events. If conditions suit, we will play,'' said Mr. Modi.

Looking ahead

When told that the new dispensation had taken a strident stand early this year with regard to taking part in the ICC Champions Trophy and then agreed to host the tournament, Mr. Modi said: "the previous officials had already signed the document. Now we have to look forward. How the MPA affects the BCCI is for us to understand and reflect upon. If we sign, we will be subjected to those conditions for eight years.''

Replying to a question on the BCCI's decision to bid for ICC's 2008-15 Marketing Rights, Mr. Modi said that the ICC has welcomed it. "The BCCI handled the World Cups in 1987 and 1996 on its own. There is a mechanism in place. The highest bidder gets it. The IDI (Marketing arm of the ICC) process is not transparent. There's should not be any ambiguity.''

Meanwhile, Mr. Modi said that it is "unfortunate'' that the venue agreement for Mohali and Jaipur for the Champions Trophy has not been signed so far.

"The tournament is only four days away,'' said Mr. Modi.

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