Point of clarification concerning the dispute between the ZCU and a group of players

The ICC has noted recent media reports concerning the commencement of talks between the ZCU and representatives of a number of Zimbabwean players.

Some reports have claimed that the ICC imposed a 14-day deadline on the parties within which to resolve the dispute. This is not accurate.

What the ICC has announced is that it has given the parties 14 days within which to agree a mechanism or process to solve the dispute, not to resolve the dispute itself.

If an agreement is not reached on the process within this timeframe, ICC President Ehsan Mani has announced that, along with ICC Vice-President Percy Sonn, he will make a ruling on the applicability of the ICC's own Disputes Resolution Process. The ICC's legal advice is that this process can be applied in this case. This is a position not supported by the ZCU.

Mr Mani detailed this approach after the ICC Executive Board meeting last week.

"We recognise that this is a Zimbabwean dispute and our clear preference is to have it resolved in Zimbabwe by Zimbabweans," said Mr Mani.

"If there is no agreement on the process, the newly elected ICC Vice-President, Percy Sonn, and I will make a final decision on application of the ICC's Disputes Resolution Process after this 14-day period.

"The ZCU is firmly of the view that this system has no jurisdiction but the ICC's legal advice is clear in saying that it does."