ICC mulls on scrapping full membership status

India, Australia and England may no longer enjoy full membership as every nation's status in ICC will be up for review after every five years.

The ICC is planning two types of membership — full membership and associate membership. (Source: Reuters)

Cricketing powerhouses like India, Australia and England may no longer enjoy full membership of the ICC as every nation’s status in world cricket’s governing body will be up for review after every five years.

According to ESPN Cricinfo, an email circulated among ICC members has explained how the concept of Full Membership is to be opened up. The ICC is planning two types of membership — full membership and associate membership.

Associate nations will have their membership status reviewed after every two years.

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“Full Member status is not enshrined forever. A Full Member may be re-classified as an Associate Member upon the recommendation of the Membership Committee where it fails to meet the Retention Criteria.”

While the Executive Committee, or ExCo, synonymous with the “Big Three” changes of 2014 is to be disbanded, a new and influential Membership Committee will be raised to deal specifically with membership compliance and decisions on whether to elevate Associate nations to Full Membership or demote current Full Members to Associate level.

This “MemCom”, which will include both Full Member and Associate representatives, is to be empowered to decide on applications independent of the executive board.

“All applications for a new, enhanced or reclassification (demotion) of Membership will be conducted by a committee separate from the Executive Board. The essence of the MemCom’s role will be to objectively apply the criteria and make a decision on the application,” the mail stated.

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