 Speed removed as CEO after standoff with Mali
25th Apr 2008 23:00 IST
Agencies
Speed has served as the ICC's CEO since July 2001 and is only the second person to have filled the role in the organisation's 99-year history. He succeeded David Richards, who was CEO from 1993 to 2001.
Although the ICC statement does not specify the reasons for relieving Speed of his duties, it is learnt that the Australian administrator was against Mali's decision not to take any major action against Zimbabwe following an independent forensic audit carried out by a leading company KPMG.
Following the ICC meeting in Dubai in March, in which the decision to overlook the audit was taken, Speed refused to attend the post media conference, explaining to the Executive Board that he was not prepared to defend in public a decision with which he disagreed.
In his opinion, the conduct of senior Zimbabwe cricket officials should have been referred to the ethics committee.
Speed's conduct not to address the media conference did not go down well with Mali, who is known to be a strong supporter of Zimbabwe and its officials.
The ICC President-Elect David Morgan is expected to address a press conference tomorrow and the ICC said it will not make any further comment on this issue till that time. |
