USA Cricket faces legal battle over governance issues

IANS March 17, 2025 187 views

USA Cricket is embroiled in a serious legal controversy that could jeopardize its future. Current and former board members have filed a lawsuit alleging widespread governance failures and election manipulation. The internal conflict comes at a critical time with cricket preparing for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. The lawsuit threatens USA Cricket's standing with international cricket authorities and its potential Olympic participation.

"We have tried all internal avenues to resolve these governance failures" - Atul Rai, Board Member
New Delhi, March 17: USA Cricket is once again in the headlines for the wrong reasons, as a legal battle unfolds over governance failures. Current board member Atul Rai, along with former directors Kuljit Nijjar, Arjun Gona, and Patricia Whittaker, has filed a lawsuit against the organization's leadership, alleging election manipulation, governance breaches, and violations of US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) regulations.

Key Points

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- Lawsuit claims unconstitutional removal of board directors

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Allegations of election registration manipulation

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ICC warns of potential suspension

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Olympic cricket participation at risk

The lawsuit claims that key board members unconstitutionally removed fellow directors and are now manipulating membership registrations to influence upcoming elections. It also highlights delays in board elections and a failure to meet USOPC-mandated athlete representation requirements. These issues have raised concerns about USA Cricket's ability to function as a transparent and fair governing body.

The legal action comes at a crucial time, as the International Cricket Council (ICC) has already placed USA Cricket under controlled funding and warned of a possible suspension if governance issues are not addressed. The USOPC has also warned USA Cricket about the risk of losing its certification due to repeated failures in governance.

With cricket set to feature in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, this internal turmoil could affect the sport's growth in the U.S. The lawsuit names Chairman Venu Pisike, Srini Salver, Pintoo Shah, David Haubert, Nadia Gruny, and Anj Balusu as defendants. The plaintiffs are demanding their removal, reinstatement of unlawfully dismissed board members, and cancellation of the upcoming elections, which they claim are being manipulated.

Atul Rai, a current board member and one of the plaintiffs, emphasized that the lawsuit was a last resort. "We have tried all internal avenues to resolve these governance failures, but legal action is now the only way to protect USA Cricket's future. The ICC and USOPC have repeatedly warned the board, but leadership continues to ignore transparency and due process," Rai said.

The timing of this controversy could not be worse. With the 2028 Olympics on the horizon, USA Cricket has a major opportunity to grow. However, the ongoing governance crisis could lead to stronger ICC intervention, financial restrictions on USA Cricket, loss of USOPC certification and uncertainty over USA's participation in the Olympics

Tags:
USA Cricket Cricket Governance Olympic Cricket Atul Rai ICC USOPC Legal Battle
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