Sri Lanka Cricket set to appeal ICC suspension for 'serious breach' after entire cricket board sacked

Anywhere there is a decent number of Muslims, there are always formal organisations of what’s called ‘Ulama’ or Islamic scholars, and obviously such Ulama organisations in Taliban Afghanistan would hand down distorted interpretations of Islam’s proper teachings. Obviously, the same sort of Ulama Councils exist in Indonesia, though the majority have more credibility than those in countries completely polluted by obscenities such as the Taliban. In either country though, and indeed any country with a Muslim majority, such Ulama councils can and do influence both community/societal attitudes, as well as government policy on certain matters. An example is the 2004 presidential election in Indonesia: the incumbent was the daughter of the first president, Sukarno, and one of the less credible Ulama councils handed down a ‘public ruling’ that women cannot be heads of state, which is absolute rubbish, because in proper Islam there are only two things that women can’t do, 1. Lead a prayer group that contains men, and 2. Do the ‘adzan’ (the voice chanting the call to prayer five times a day). Most educated Indonesians of both genders scoffed at the ‘ruling’, but Megawati was, none the less, not re-elected, not because she was a woman, but because she was a proper idiot, something that can obviously afflict either gender. Afghanistan, like Indonesia, no doubt has a government Ministry of Religion, which takes advice from these types of Ulama Councils. And it doesn’t take much imagination to think that the country’s (Afghanistan’s) cricket board would also be at the total mercy of certain directives from these same Ulama. However, because such Ulama are not technically part of the government, the ICC could not possibly establish government interference in the country’s cricketing ruling body. A few loopholes.

Nonsensical. It is known by anyone with a functioning brain stem that Afghanistan cricket is played in exile and in opposition to Taliban rule. They play under the old different flag and sing the different anthem. None of them live in Afghanistan. They are all exiles travelling on passports that identify to the old regime. Banning Afghanistan because of the Taliban would then defacto be the ICC stating that the recognise the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. Honestly mate, you don't have a clue.

Perhaps not. Ask the ACB to field a Women's team. See what happens. If you want to take the burden of truth beyond the current "beyond reasonable doubt".

The issue though is not so much about member nations having women's teams but about gov't interference in sport. Which situation is worse, the Sri Lanka Board dispute or women not being able to play sport? It seems harsh or even hypocritical for the ICC to take this action against Sri Lanka, justified as it might be, when they're being quite legalistic in not sanctioning Afghanistan. I'm happy they're not by the way, but the ICC seems to come up with some interesting positions these days

Can only go on what the ICC itself has set in place as policy. – Not saying it’s right, but that’s the position of the governing body. – The problem for Cricket Australia is they were part of the decision making to allow this. So they have no capacity to take a different position. Hence why CA’s statement in Jan on not playing Afghanistan in bilatetal ODIs was carefully (deliberately) crafted to omit ACB not having a women’s team as a reason for the boycott. CA only referenced education and work inequality, not cricket.

Meantime in Iceland the women have just had a one-day general strike due to the slowness about getting equality. A figure being bandied about is that it'll take 300 years at the current pace for change to complete at a planetary level. Perhaps the Saudis or Gulf countries should introduce the Afghans to the concept of sportswashing.

Australia, along with all other ICC Board members, have agreed - via approved policy in 2017- for it to be ok for Associate Members to not have a women's team if for religious or cultural reasons. So Afghanistan can't be banned as an ICC member on that basis. They can only lose their Full Member (Test) status) because of it.

The funniest thing I saw was on a fb cricket page on the eve of the England v Afghanistan match and it read: "I am disgusted that a country with such a long appalling history of human rights is allowed to play in this world cup - I hope the Ghans beat them" ... I think there's something in that for all of us, don't you ... ?

I did it a week or so back ... but I think I got away with it ...

That is very difficult for the ICC to prove.

Well it’s never a good idea to reprimand your boss.

What a rubbish line of reasoning! The Afghan Board is not ensuring a Womens' Team is happening. It's because of the Taliban. Afghan Cricket should immediately be suspended.

This is a net positive for Sri Lanken Cricket ..They have been in decline for some time now as a competitive team and often you need look no further than administration . We experienced this in South African Cricket with similiar outcomes .The politicization of the Board reflected in the downward spiral in team performances ..SA Cricket came within 7 days of being suspended by the ICC and were formally put on notice ..Today there is a whole new Board and yes some signs of The National teams recovery too…

Yet India are still playing even though Jay Shah on the BCCI has direct ties to the Indian gov. But of course the ICC will never have the guts to reprimand India for their political interference.

That's a human rights issue, not govt interference in board. I subscribe to the Imran Khan school on this matter, i.e., if we ban every country with questionable human rights records, then the over zealous boycotter might find him or herself without a country on the face of the Earth to ply their athletic trade in.

Must have been entirely post 1936 - the most facist government in history got to host the Olympics that very year.

Remember the days when fascist govts, apartheid and genocide where condemned by sporting bodies and the media? Sad times indeed. And today is Remembrance/Armistice Day. Lest we forget.

Apparently Afghanistan has not been suspended by the ICC even though they don't have a woman's team because the Taliban gov't doesn't interfere in the Board. They only ban women from playing sports.

Timed out?