Cricket World Cup and National and International Policy Makers - Report Example

Running head: Playing the Game Playing the Game Sporting events in general are essentially promoted to garner public interest and often develop loyal and devoted fan followings. Fan reactions have been known to influence policies established by the international and national regulatory bodies. Display of heated public disappointment has often resulted in widespread media coverage to the extent that it has accomplished some very far-reaching shifts in regulatory rules and even intervention by the state. Yes, it would be unfair to classify all fan reactions as unfounded. Yet when similar situations draw far less attention in countries with a far lesser fan following, would that not be enough reason to consider an unprejudiced analysis of the circumstances of sporting defeats? Playing the Game With the changing scenario in the cricket world, the major test playing nations are implementing strict policy measures and considering unorthodox methods to enhance the waning credibility of the sport. Clearly most of these tactics are designed to satisfy the incensed sports supporters – a strong opposition to contend with. Some of the most conservative national cricket boards and cricketing councils are compelled to take surprising stands, clearly out of desperation. It is quite evident that these strategies are a direct outcome of the open mass condemnation targeted at poor player performance. National and International Policy Makers The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the international governing body of cricket. Founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from England, Australia and South Africa, it assumed its current name in 1989. With 97 members, 10 of which are official test match playing nations, the ICC controls and organises the major international tournaments, and appoints umpires and referees who officiate at all sanctioned international one-day and test matches. The ICC establishes and implements the ICC Code of Conduct, which puts forth the professional standards of discipline for international cricket, and also coordinates action against corruption and match fixing through its Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU). While the ICC d regulates international cricket, the national governing bodies of some of the highly regarded test playing nations include the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India), PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board), ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board), and United Cricket Board (South Africa’s national cricket association). Some of the lesser-known cricketing nations also have established regulatory bodies including Ireland (Irish Cricket Union) and Holland. (Koninklijke Nederlandse Cricket Bond). The Epicentre of the Cricketing Saga It is no secret that the South Asian countries form the epicentre of the impassioned and fervent fan network. India and Pakistan house some of the most enthusiastic cricket following. In India, the increasing recognition that players have been on the field with less than honourable intentions has created tremendous uproar right up to the top government. The public and media alike have let rarely minced words when it came to flaying the national cricketing board members and their self-indulgent principles. The religious undercurrent in the game runs especially deep when the intensely contented World Cup is underway. The advent of the television age has done much to this effervescent community of sports enthusiasts. Every other devoted cricket buff is fast becoming a self-appointed critic, and is afforded an open platform to provide insightful yet often very prejudiced judgement. A Nation United – All for a Game In several major test-playing nations, the passion for cricket becomes a unique uniting factor. It would not be an exaggerated claim that even religious sentiments would not be able to garner such unquestioning faith – welcome to the frenzied world of sports fans. As a direct consequence of this insatiable appetite for cricket, suffice is to say that major television networks and newspapers virtually abandon the global news agenda to ensure the comprehensive cricketing coverage during important international tournaments. Loss of Fan Backing One of the most unmistakable factors that has created a feeling of insecurity among the policy makes and the players alike has been the loss of support from passionate cricket enthusiasts. The public disappointment has been palpable of sorts. The chain of unfortunate events around the cricket World Cup 2007 has been devastating to hardcore addicts of the sport. India’s crushing defeat at the hands of the unfairly nicknamed ‘minnows’ can at best be termed as the last straw in the whole series of humiliation that the nation has faced. The quote from Weiland and Wisley (2006) is especially appropriate here: “Soccer only mattered when you knew an entire country sat rigid in front of its television sets, national hopes and paranoias on full display, yearning for release; when players were playing out of love for country, not money.” Why Match Fixing is Only a Beginning The much publicised match fixing scandals have done nothing if not hurled the cricketing community into an unprotected underworld rife with lies and greed. Match fixing or game fixing in organized sports control match outcomes because players perform to a partially or completely pre-determined result. Sometimes the event in question is deliberately lost (motivated by agreements of gamblers and referred to as thrown games), or to obtain a perceived future competitive advantage (rather than gamblers being involved the team is said to have tanked the game). The ill-fated incidents surrounding some of the more disgraceful match fixing scandals are better left unexplored. Yet, undeniably the world of sports has had to sit up and acknowledge this malady. The international cricketing councils and national cricket boards of many test playing nations have had to re-examine some very basic principles including cricketer privileges and game ethics. Troubles Brew Early – Questioning Player Motivation The 2007 Cricket World Cup organisers were criticised even early on in the tournament for permitting over-commercialisation. It came as no surprise when the ICCs ticket pricing policy was picked on, plainly because it was ill affordable for the local population in many of the match locations. There are also been mixed feelings over the world cup format, which some believe has been instrumental in establishing a network of corruption. The flagrant digression from basic player ethics seemed to be history repeating itself. Responding to some truly frenzied fan outbursts the Indian cricket board BCCI announced that ad endorsements by its cricketers would henceforth be regulated. The theory behind a seemingly absurd policy change was that endorsements distract players and therefore resulted in some pitiable performance on the pitch. Some actually quoted questionable terms from the endorsement contracts – one particularly incongruous condition in one player’s deal was based on ‘minutes spent on the pitch’ and did not have a required player rating or runs score! As the vicious circle continues to change priorities, the game itself has developed into a multi-million dollar business with players being portrayed as the ultimate actors, while fans remain glued on to their television sets to catch a bit of the action live. When Appeasement is the Goal As a direct impact of supporters’ reaction, aggravated by nationwide, vehement opposition over the World Cup defeat, the national boards have been known to buckle under pressure and making policy shifts as a mode of appeasement. Suffice is to say that the policy makers hope that resorting to controversial strategies and unconventional methods will placate the infuriated masses. As Bill Cosby says ‘I do not know if there is any surefire path to success, but if there is a surefire path to failure, it is when you try to please everyone’, it appears the policy makers are looking to live by those words. Some ardent followers have suggested reconsidering the current ‘business model’ that the game is based on, in terms of governance and structuring of player incentives. The cricket board’s finances, meanwhile, also raise several questions says Sandeep Bamzai (1999). A rather alarming result has been that the trustworthiness of the office bearers is under question. There is also a demand that a professional league for cricket be formed, able to independently provide regulatory policy specifics. Policy Change – The Other Side Although it is a common view that cricketers owe their massive endorsement deals to the fact that they play for their cricketing boards, it is also equally indisputable that such policies deprive players of some very basic rights. Needless to say there the board assumes it has very strong reasons to strong-arm players to agree any new policy terms. As might be expected, it appears that such inconceivably crude tactics appear to be a direct result of fan pressure. Consider this: countries with far lesser fan following to the game take very lightly issues of player performance and integrity. The Ireland captain praises the team’s performance leading to their victory against Pakistan and is quoted as saying that rumours of match fixing were unfounded and intended to demean his side’s amazing triumph. It can be deduced from this fairly simple comparison that government intervention and regulations barely play an absolute role in player performance. Far from it, the fans are themselves the primary indicators on whom depend the entire business of sporting. Conclusion One can infer from a deep analysis that impassioned fan responses play a major role in policy measures implemented by the international and national regulatory bodies. The oft publicised and prejudiced media coverage far-from providing a basis for reasonable discussion have ensured placatory responses by the sports authorities. Nations with a soft spot for a particular sport often exhibit an innate tendency to go overboard. Questioning ethical issues at a price is becoming a common phenomenon that would do well with more critical coverage and analysis. Regulations and policy shifts intended to assuage fans and gain back public support is never in the best interests of the sportsmen or the sport itself. References Bamzai, S., 1999. Gavaskar & Tendulkar: Shaping Indian Cricket Destiny, Jaico Publishing House. Weiland, M., and Wilsey, S., 2006. A Thinking Fans Guide to the World Cup, Harper Perennial. Read More