The Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) moved to dispel growing fears on Friday night that the ongoing television rights dispute with WSG Nimbus threatened international television and radio coverage of the forthcoming West Indies tour of Sri Lanka.
Last week, the BCCSL terminated their three-year television, radio and sponsorship rights agreement with WSG Nimbus, a sports management consortium, after pre-tour payment deadlines were missed.
The BCCSL obtained an injunction in the Commercial High Court against WSG Nimbus and called for fresh bids from other parties for a new three-year period.
WSG Nimbus quickly released a statement arguing that the agreement could not just cancelled and that it was still in effect. They then initiated legal action in Sri Lanka and Singapore.
Firstly, they are trying to overturn the injunction obtained in Sri Lanka. Their case was heard on Tuesday, but the judge requested further time to review the case. He had then been expected to give his verdict on today, but bizarrely announced at the last moment that he now had to attend a family function. A verdict is now expected on Monday.
WSG Nimbus then issued a statement on Friday evening claiming that the dispute would now be settled by arbitration in Singapore.
"WSG Nimbus continues to maintain that its Agreement is in full force and effect and that the BCCSL's purported termination is unlawful and of no effect," stated the release.
"WSG can confirm that that it has received notice from the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) that the SIAC has assumed over the dispute."
The BCCSL admitted tonight that they had received a letter from the SIAC, but argued that arbitration was not an option in this case and they were going ahead with fresh bids as planned.
"As far as we are concerned we can go ahead," said a board spokesman. "We have a bid process underway, with a number of interested parties, and we shall select the winner on 29 October (Monday night)."
According to the spokesman: "It is very clear that this agreement has ceased to exist. Any other issue would require arbitration, but not a payment dispute, which this is."
For the moment, though, both parties are waiting for the Sri Lanka High Courts judgment. The BCCSL are desperate for the judge to rule in their favour, pointing out that: "If we get this verdict this is all finished."
© CricInfo
| Teams | Sri Lanka. |
| Tours | West Indies in Sri Lanka |
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