Former Test players demand resignations of Shaharyar, Ramiz

Gola_Gunda · April 20, 2004, 10:37am

LAHORE, April 19: The newly formed Former Test Cricketers Association(FTCA) has demanded that chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and chief executive resign from their posts in acceptance of the responsibility for Pakistan’s defeat to India in the home series.

“Do not pass on the buck to others i.e the cricketers, coach etc. The responsibility is clearly yours and your management’s,” said FTCA convener Ijaz Butt in his letter to the PCB chairman Shaharyar M. Khan on Monday.

The FTCA alleged that there was no transparency in the board affairs for which the chairman had held out promise at the time of assuming charge last December. The association further alleged that the chairman appointed a marketing consultant to look into the old contracts of the PCB. The gentleman was a class fellow and a friend of the chairman.

“The consultant was paid millions of rupees for doing nothing because most of the contracts were signed by chief executive Ramiz Raja,” said the FTCA. The association asked if it was not true that Pepsi contract with the PCB was cancelled but Ten Sports contract was honoured because the CEO was an employee of the TV channel which had its main interest in telecasting Pakistan cricket.

It further asked if it was not true that the PCB chief executive wearsthe following hats: "He is employed by Allied Bank who pays him handsomely for doing nothing but watching their interest.

He is employed by Ten Sports.He is a commentator for various TV channels besides Ten Sports. He is a paid model for TV ads and he is fleecing the PCB through his friends and relatives."

The FTCA asked was any irregularity revealed by the investigation, carried out by his friend/class fellow who was paid million of rupees for doing this job, if so the same should be made public.

The FTCA claimed that it was not the former PCB chairman Tauqir Zia butRamiz Raja who had approved all the previous contracts a couple of days before his previous boss (Tauqir) left.

The FTCA further alleged that chief executive gave 2000 tickets of Rs 1500 denomination to a friend for the fourth and fifth ODIs at Lahore and his friend sold them for Rs 2500 each making Rs 2.0 million in the process.

The FTCA was formed after life membershipcards of the old cricketers were cancelled by the PCB during the Pakistan-India series. The FTCA demanded the PCB chairman provide details on how many people sat free of charge in various boxes in the two One-day International matches in Lahore.

It also asked how many tickets were sold through Internet, how many given to chief executive and chairman’s friends and how many sold through the booths. The FTCA opined that the previous chairman, Tauqir Zia, was far betterthan Shaharyar.

His (Tauqir’s) only problem was that he was “rambood” by his friend. “Tauqir should be reinstated with a new team or Mr Imran Khan should be made the PCB head,” the FTCA urged president Pervez Musharraf, the patron-in-chief of the PCB.

ehsan · April 21, 2004, 2:48pm

Pakistan board defends its chief executive](http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2004/APR/129916_PAK_20APR2004.html)

The Pakistan Cricket Board has been forced to come out in defence of its embattled chief executive, Rameez Raja, as the hunt for a scapegoat intensifies in the aftermath of India’s historic series victory.

Rameez, who joined the PCB in 2000, enjoyed a spotless reputation as Pakistan’s captain, a role he took on in 1996 when several other candidates were embroiled in match-fixing allegations. But during the recent series against India, he attracted raised eyebrows for his dual role as administrator and commentator for Ten Sports, and his integrity was subsequently called into question by some sections of the Pakistani media.

“It hurts me deeply when fingers are pointed at my integrity,” said Rameez. “I have maintained a very honest approach throughout my cricketing career and would leave no stone unturned in defending my position in my new role as PCB chief executive.”

In an attempt to clear his name, the PCB has released details of Rameez’s expenses, which demonstrate that he has been living well within his budget. He has spent just 22,000 rupees (about £220) of his entertainment allowance in 40 months with the PCB; he has not yet touched his medical allowance, and he has not taken on the driver, security guard, cook and servant that usually come with the job.

“I am confident that after these revelations,” said Rameez, “the experts and columnists will refrain from accusing me of lavishly throwing away the funds of the board.” Had he claimed his full entitlements, his expenses over the three years would have been in excess of 1.3million rupees (£13,000).

“Nowhere else in the world would an institution have to come out in defence of its chief executive,” added a PCB spokesman. “But the PCB has been forced to do this because of the serious allegations that have been levelled against Rameez Raja. The PCB urges the concerned quarters to look into the role of Rameez fairly and honestly.”

ChthonicPowers · April 21, 2004, 3:45pm

Players unhappy with PCB CEO

ISLAMABAD, April 19: Serious differences have surfaced between national cricketers and chief executive of Pakistan Cricket Board, Ramiz Raja, sources in PCB said on Monday. The players have accused Ramiz of criticising them during his commentary on a private sports channel.

“Ramiz should think before he speaks as he is also the CEO of the PCB and the comments he passed for national cricketers may harm their image as well as PCB”, sources quoted a senior player as saying. Ramiz, a former Test cricketer has been commenting for a Dubai-based TV channel for a long time and has created serious differences with the national players for criticising them.

Sources disclosed that some of junior players have also expressed their concern over the Ramiz’s remarks and urged the PCB chairman Shaharyar M Khan to review the matter as Ramiz was busy in misguiding cricket fans as well as international media.

“Ramiz himself made the cricketing policies and when he failed to produce some positive results he started blaming cricketers,” sources quoted a junior player as saying. Sources further disclosed that the PCB chairman has received bundle of complaints against Ramiz regarding poor administration and contract systems.

It is worth mentioning here that Ramiz has been facing couple of cases against him in Court, filed by some former Test cricketers and ex-PCB officials for making huge losses to national cricket board including a case of black marketing of tickets in the series against England in 2000. -PPI

http://www.dawn.com/2004/04/20/spt1.htm

Faisal · April 21, 2004, 6:02pm

I always detest these unnamed sources, cz a newspaper can print any garbage and associate that to "unnamed cricketer". What the heck is that?

I still think Rameez is an honorable and decent person, but I have trouble reconciling that the CEO of a cricket board is also commentating on television freely. That just doesn't make any sense. He should give up one or the other role, and this is something I have said all along.

Also, I think its a detestable norm for playing captains and players to criticize other team-members while a series is in progress. I see many other Australian, British and Indian players who write articles for newspapers while they are playing a game - but those articles are ususally carefully worded to just express the players hopes and ambitions and cheering up the team. Inzi's article, on the other hand, was bitterly critical of his bowlers, which is extremely stupid and senseless right in the middle of a series. If he had to say something to his players, he should do it in private, away from media-spotlight. That is, ofcourse, if he wants to win the game, and not if all he intends to do is score some cheap publicity points.