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Sports Minister Ramsaran backs the WICB

The Trinidad Express
5 November 1998



The Honourable Minister of Sports Manohar Ramsaran yesterday backed the West Indies Cricket Board's decision to sack West Indies team captain and vice-captain Brian Lara and Carl Hooper respectively.

Both were relieved of their posts for the tour of South Africa for disobeying a directive from the WICB to proceed directly to South Africa.

Instead of going on to Johannesburg as directed, Lara and Hooper travelled to London with a view to negotiating with the WICB about wages for the South Africa tour.

Ramsaran told CCN that the decision by the pair was ``blackmail'' and a poor example to ``younger sportsmen and even the countries of the West Indies''.

``Despite the personalities involved,'' Ramsaran said. ``I think the board made the right decision... I think that a message must be sent. We must understand who we are and when we have our talents we must use it intelligently.

``... The West Indies Cricket Board should be congratulated for being so strict on this issue.''


Source: The Express (Trinidad)
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