ICC defers Ukraine cricket's application for Associate membership

Ukraine will have to wait to become an Associate Member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) after their application for membership was deferred, while Cricket Russia has had its Membership terminated, the ICC announced on Tuesday.

The ICC, which held a meeting in Birmingham, on Monday and Tuesday, was looking to consider all future requests for membership in both the categories — Full and Associate — against an objective set of norms in line with its statute.

The ICC membership was likely to lend a fresh lease of life to the game in Ukraine, which has been facing an armed aggression from neighbouring Russia since February 24.

But the ICC has deferred the application until cricket activity is able to safely resume within the country but added that the governing body continues to support the Ukraine Cricket Federation through this process.

"Ukraine’s application for ICC Membership is deferred until cricket activity is able to safely resume within the country and it can demonstrate that it satisfies 2.2(b)(ii) and 2.2(c)(iii) of the Membership Criteria. The ICC continues to support the Ukraine Cricket Federation through this process," the ICC said in a statement.

"Following Russia’s suspension at the 2021 AGM due to continued non-compliance since July 2019 with ICC Membership Criteria 2.2(a)(i), 2.2(b)(i) and 2.2(b)(ii) and after failing to resolve the issues and demonstrate compliance following suspension, Cricket Russia has now had its Membership of the ICC terminated," the statement added.

New members

Meanwhile, the ICC welcomed its newest Members with Cambodia, Cote D'Ivoire and Uzbekistan all receiving Associate Membership status.

Cambodia and Uzbekistan are the 24th and 25th Members of the Asia region, whilst Cote D'Ivoire is Africa’s 21st Member, with the ICC now comprising 108 Members in total, including 96 Associates.

"The Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan (CFU) has an exciting development programme that is focused on the growth of the Women’s Cricket. The UCF women’s cricket plan sees 15 teams playing organized competitions with a pathway programme for their Under 19 and Under 17 players, to provide them opportunities to progress to the senior teams. Their youth programme is currently working alongside 50 schools in different provinces to further increase participation for women and girls," the ICC said.

"Africa’s newest member the Côte d’Ivoire Cricket Federation run a national league senior men’s competition with eight teams, there are also established junior boys’ and girls’ programmes as part of the country’s schools’ grassroots initiative. The Federation has embarked on several initiatives aimed at growing women’s cricket including the appointment of a female Board member to drive this agenda.

"The Cricket Association of Cambodia (CAC) has been accepted as a Member subject to it demonstrating it has a satisfactory women’s pathway in place by 31 December 2022. Women’s cricket is the key priority for Cambodia after cricket activity was severely impacted by COVID-19. The CAC plan is set to include the re-establishment of indoor cricketing activities and regular coaching in eight schools, and the introduction of a T20 hard ball tournament with eight teams in November 2022," ICC added.

The CAC which was formed in 2011 has overseen a very promising schools-based junior cricket programme and local coaches have facilitated successful soft ball indoor cricket activities, as well as 14 registered teams regularly playing men’s senior domestic cricket in Cambodia," the ICC further said.