No extension on deadline - Speed

International Cricket Council (ICC) Chief Executive Malcolm Speed said yesterday that Friday's deadline for the players to sign the much-debated sponsorship contract will not be extended.

"The deadline that is in place for Friday was put in place so that when the Executive Board meets on Saturday it will know the position of all the 12 competing teams in the ICC Champions Trophy," Speed told Gulf News during a break from the ICC's Cricket Committee meeting, which commenced in Dubai yesterday.

"There has been no suggestion of the Friday deadline being moved because the deadline has been clocked into the board's meeting which follows the next day," he stressed.

The ICC contract demands that that players agree not to endorse products of rival companies competing with official tournament sponsors. The agreement would extend a month before and a month after the tournament.

The Indian players, many of whom have profitable personal endorsements, contend that the ICC contract violates their personal rights.

When told that the Indian players are sending a fresh compromise proposal to the BCCI, Speed made it clear that countries should conclude their negotiations ahead of the Executive meeting on Saturday.

"We had wide ranging and vigorous discussions on the issue today between the chief executives and it is important that when the executive board meets it is able to take a decision on the matter," he said.

Responding to a query whether the new scenario of having to sign a contract will last only till the 2007 World Cup or whether it will it be carried further on, Speed said: "For each event the players will have to sign Player Terms. By signing the Player Terms for the Champions Trophy no player makes a commitment beyond the Champions Trophy.

"That is simply like saying I employ you until the end of October, that does not mean I am going to employ you in November and December. But in December I might offer you another contract to play in another event. So each event will have a separate contract," he elaborated.

The strong point for the ICC is that many countries have given written undertakings to the body that they will obtain the agreement of their players to the Player Term.

The ICC executive board will ascertain whether each board has met their obligation before the Saturday meeting.

When asked whether there has been a threat of the ICC sponsors pulling out in case of the top players not playing in the Champions Trophy, Speed said: "Sponsors who have committed for seven years have expressed concern about being ambushed by some of the sponsors who have contracts with the players."