The International Cricket Council (ICC) has suspended Cricket Canada's membership immediately due to governance failures, corruption allegations, financial irregularities, and breaches of ICC regulations.
The decision was taken at the meeting of the ICC Board in Ahmedabad on May 31. It is an important step for Canadian cricket - the country's governing body is now at risk of being administered by the world cricket authority.
Corruption and Match-Fixing Allegations
Among the reasons behind the suspension was a high-profile investigative report by Canada's national broadcaster, CBC. It said Cricket Canada officials were involved in corrupt practices as well as activities that involved match-fixing.
According to the allegations, the country's cricket administration was not a good one and more serious criticism from the ICC.
Claims of Interference in Team Selection
Another controversy erupted when Canada Head Coach Khurram Chohan's audio recording was leaked. Chohan said in the recording that cricket administrators were taking too much control over the selection of teams.
The allegations led to an investigation by the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU), which examined claims of interference and possible misconduct within the governing body.
Financial Transparency Concerns
Cricket Canada has also been criticised for not being transparent in its financial reporting. Financial governance and accountability issues, such as those of the Canadian sports authorities and the ICC, have been raised in recent times.
The ICC cited these administrative and financial shortcomings as reasons for suspending the board's membership.
ICC Provides Support for Canadian Players
The suspension of Cricket Canada from the International Cricket Council, however, has not deterred the players from having international careers.
The governing body said Canada's men's and women's national teams will continue to go to international competitions and ICC tournaments as scheduled.
In addition, the ICC has also pledged to provide direct financial support for team operations - both tournament participation and international tours - ensuring that players do not suffer from administrative issues.
What Will Come Next?
As part of the corrective process, the ICC has dissolved the existing cricket administration and plans to appoint a "Normalisation Committee" to oversee the sport's governance in Canada.
The committee will be in charge of restoring proper administration, improving transparency, and ensuring compliance with ICC regulations. Cricket operations in the country will be kept on course under the oversight of this committee until governance standards are brought in line with ICC requirements.
Cricket Canada's suspension will only be reviewed once all of the reforms and governance measures have been conducted, the ICC has said. The governing body will remain suspended until then as efforts are made to restore trust in Canadian cricket administration.
