Updated: December 23, 2020 8:08:02 am
The 89th BCCI Annual General Meeting will be held in Ahmedabad on Thursday. (ARCHIVE)
The International Cricket Council (ICC) wants the tax exemptions for next year’s T20 World Cup to be held in India or the money paid by the world body will be deducted from the cricket board’s revenue share of the India. The other option, before the ICC, is to move the tournament to the United Arab Emirates, which hosted the last season of the Indian Premier League. Taxation is high on the agenda of the Cricket Control Board in India (BCCI) 89th Annual General Body Meeting. Cricket’s possible inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, which is endorsed by the ICC, will also be discussed.
The ICC has set a December 31 deadline for the Indian board to confirm a full tax exemption. “In accordance with Clause 10.20 of the venue agreement for this event, the BCCI is obliged to provide ICC with a total tax exemption for all income arising from this event in favor of ICC, its subsidiaries and associates and its Members by least 18 months before the start of the event ”, the BCCI mentioned in the documents of the agenda of its 89th Annual General Meeting to be held in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Without a full tax exemption, the ICC’s excess payment to its members will be reduced and in May this year, the global gambling body agreed to extend the deadline for the BCCI to December 31 to do what is necessary. If the Indian board fails, then: “a. ICC moves the 2021 event from India to UAE or “b. The BCCI offers an undertaking that if the BCCI is unable to achieve the required tax solution, any resulting tax liabilities from ICC / IBC / its Members will be offset against monies owed to BCCI by ICC (including distributions from ICC) and that BCCI be responsible for any deficits after the game. “
The BCCI has already distributed the documents of the agenda among its members and the subject will be discussed in depth at the AGM. The BCCI-ICC tax dispute has been an ongoing saga. The world body had wanted to recover the tax burden of the World T20 2016 in India and threatened the BCCI with deducting a part of its share of annual income in case of non-exemption.
Cricket at the Olympics
The ICC document, in the possession of The Indian Express, describes cricket and the Olympics as “a winning partnership.” According to the game’s governing body: “Cricket can provide the Olympic movement with an unparalleled opportunity to boost fan engagement across the Asian subcontinent.”
Regarding the benefits of cricket, the document says: “The Olympic Games can provide cricket with an unmatched opportunity to drive global growth beyond its traditional territories, particularly in the US, Europe and China.”
The ICC is targeting the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and a survey among its Associate Members showed that additional funding of $ 13 million could be generated for Associates alone through the inclusion of cricket in the quadrennial main event.
The ICC has also outlined a tentative cricket program for the 2028 Olympics: “One men’s and one women’s event (each nine days); Twenty20 format; 8 teams and 16 matches per event; 11 players per team / 15 players per squad; 2 venues / turf or hybrid pitches. “The ICC wants all of its 104 members to come together” to advance a bid “and lists” unifying all members behind the campaign for cricket inclusion “as a challenge.
Until now, the BCCI has been reluctant to include cricket in the Olympics. There is a fear that T20 cricket at the Olympics could negatively affect the revenue stream from bilateral and global T20 events.
The ICC, on the other hand, believes that the inclusion of cricket in the Olympic Games will ensure “diversification of funding for members, reducing dependence on ICC funding.”
The BCCI under its current dispensation is known to be open to considering including cricket in the Los Angeles Olympics, which is why the issue has been placed on the AGM agenda. Just last month, former India captain and current director of the National Cricket Academy Rahul Dravid supported the cricket Olympics collaboration.
New IPL equipment
Members will deliberate on the addition of two new teams to the Indian Premier League (IPL). According to a BCCI official, most members are in favor of an expansion, believing it would create a “larger talent pool, given the abundance of talent in Indian cricket.” It is necessary to see if the BCCI incorporates a new team to start with one or two, and starting next year or 2022. “We will make a decision after the matter is presented to the members; one or two new teams, starting in 2021 or 2022; we want to move forward based on consensus, “said the BCCI official.
According to sources, Ahmedabad, which is said to have the world’s largest cricket stadium in Motera with a capacity of 110,000 seats, will almost certainly have a new IPL team.
Ahmedabad, which is said to have the world’s largest stadium in Motera, will almost certainly have a new IPL team. (ARCHIVE)
T20 World Cup Venues
BCCI has chosen Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Mohali, Dharamsala, Kolkata and Mumbai to host the T20 World Cup matches. However, some members prefer a wider distribution. “Each center is proud to host World Cup matches. We have high-class stadiums and first-rate facilities and we want the BCCI to consider our case as well. We are fine with the larger centers hosting Indian matches. But at least give us some games. We will raise the issue at the AGM, ”said the president of a state association in the West Zone.
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