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Cricket

Speed steps down early after row with ICC board

25/04/2008

International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Malcolm Speed has been put on paid leave until the end of his tenure following a "fundamental breakdown" in his relationship with the board.

Speed, who was due to step down on July 4th, will leave the organisation on April 30th with ICC general manager David Richardson taking charge on an interim basis until the new chief executive Haroon Lorgat takes over.

The disagreements between Speed and the board seem to stem from the ICC's relationship with Zimbabwe.

The troubled African nation has been the subject of much debate in cricketing circles due to the political turmoil caused by President Robert Mugabe's regime and last month's elections, which remain unresolved.

It is thought that Speed is in disagreement with several members of the ICC board, who chose to overlook serious financial irregularities unearthed by KPMG's independent audit of the accounts of Zimbabwe's cricketing governing body.

A statement from ICC president-elect David Morgan confirmed Speed would be on paid leave from next Wednesday onwards.

"This change of plan is the result of a fundamental breakdown in the relationship between the chief executive and a number of board members, including the president, over a variety of issues that include Zimbabwe," the statement continued.

"Mr David Richardson, the ICC general manager – cricket, will serve as interim chief executive until Mr Speed's replacement, Mr Haroon Lorgat, assumes the role at the ICC's annual conference at the beginning of July."

Speed has served as chief executive since July 2001, when he succeeded the organisation's first-ever chief executive, David Richards, who held the post between 1993 and 2001.