St John’s, Antigua – The WICB Board of Directors at a meeting in St Lucia took the following decision with regard to Chris Gayle:
“Having received reports and reviewed correspondence between Chris Gayle and the West Indies Cricket Board and the West Indies Team Management and taking into consideration public statements made by Gayle with regard to the Board and its officers, the Board requires that Gayle withdraws his comments in order to be considered for selection to the West Indies team.
Further however, the Board recognizes Mr. Gayle as an experienced player who can contribute meaningfully to the performance of the West Indies team. The Board, in the continued hope that Mr. Gayle complies with the standards and requirements set by the Board, and in response to a request by the JCA, unanimously agreed that it will seek the services of a facilitator to assist Mr. Gayle in complying with the requirements of the Board.”
The decision has been communicated to Mr. Gayle and the Board awaits his response.
Legendary former West Indies captain and current Director of the WICB Clive Lloyd believes that the Board’s position of requiring a withdrawal of the statements is reasonable and fair.
“First of all it is disappointing that the matter has gone on for as long as it has, what we need now is closure and to be fair anyone of whom those comments were made would have a right to take umbrage,” Lloyd said.
“Withdrawing the comments would be the intelligent thing to do to get the issue resolved and have every one move on,” reiterated the former captain of the all conquering West Indies side.
“We need senior players to be in the set up to drive the progress forward and any team would love to entertain Gayle in their set up but under the right circumstances,” Lloyd reasoned.
“Now that we are looking like we can do much better in the future, we need all hands on deck and we need everyone to be working with each other in a harmonious way,” Lloyd said.
The appointment of a facilitator, if necessary, will be made following response from Mr. Gayle.
As far as this issue is concernde, the one thing that seems to escape most of us is balance. The thing is that there are two sides to every coin.
I’m trying to keep this brief: Most people are focused on Gayle but few on the Board’s conduct. The Board accounts to no one, and has resisted any suggestion that it should. For all Gayle’s faults, he pointed out some very pertinent things about WICB. In their push for an apology, they have not acknowlegded the truth of anything he said – and he did say some factual things. Look, for instance, at that outburst by Gibson after the World Cup? Talk about unprofessional – the man basically threatened all the senior players on international media (mind you, this was a new coach) and somehow that was ok? For those talking about what happens in Australia, has any Australian coach ever done something like that?
I could go on. My point is that a solution to this issue needs to involve both parties taking responsbility, not one being villified and the other persisting in the belief that it is all powerful and beyond reproach.
chris u r my role model Iam really proud to say this, the nature of the rain never comes under from the earth IT’s from sky gayle is a rain he never under from the earth the WICB WAIT FOR U EVER MY CAPTAIN IAM AN INDIAN FROM TAMILNADU IN AYYAANAROOTHU
As an International Sportsman Gyale had NO RIGHT to publicly criticize the WI Board. He is a member of the WIPA and if he had issues with his employer he had the facility to exhale in the proper forum or write through his association not make public statements about his employer. In that regard he needs to apologise or forget being employed in the future thats all. He is not bigger than the game, There were greater players than Gayle who did much more for our CRICKET, earned much much less and they were not bigger than the game. The WI Board cannot allow players to dispkay that level of unprofessionalism and then because the player is popular or scores one big score and fifteen small ones in succession to bend the rules. That would set a deadly precidence in our Cricket. Could an Australian ever make such a comment for him to set eyes or hands on the baggy greens EVER AGAIN? stupes
I THINK IT SHOULD BE THE OTHER WAY AROUND. THE BOARD NEEDS TO BE FIRED AND APOLOGIZE TO CHRIS
– WE LOVE YOU GAYLE – WE FIGHTING THEM WITH YOU.
LET THEM WAIT FOR WI TO GO SOMEWHERE WITHOUT YOU
The biggest disappointment in West Indies cricket is the Board.The worst blow to us is the Selectors.They are the ones who needs all the correction and get of their high horses.They kill cricket in every way and let us down miserably.They are the reason i stop support Windies Cricket.They treat our men like their sons.I would fire all who are on the board…and get a new Cricketing Body for West Indies.
@daylee your idea is the best one i accept it
as a matter of principle, wheather or not the statments are true or false, no one can go on the media and blast their employer and all supervisors, and expect to be sitting comfortably at their desk next day.
yes you can take a stand, but you have to recognize that there will be concequences to these actions. If he feels so strongly he should be happy to stand by his comments, NEVER play for West Indies again and wait and see if his comments and activism will positivly benifit our cricket.
The same goes for Otis, he needs to question wheather his childish media banter with Chris is benifiting West Indies cricket.
We need to ask ourselves, why isnt JCA standing up for Chris Gayle, Why isnt Marlon Samuels standing up for his boy? Chris needs to realise he is fighting a loosing battle. and while we are quick to blame the WICB, dont foeget that the WICB is made up to the territorial boards INCLUDING the Jamaica Cricket Association…..
just my 2 sense
Some good points Mow. In absolutely no established business place (except in a possible fly-by night establishment) can an employee attempt a stunt similar to what Gayle did on his employers (the WICB) and then expect to be greeted by their employers with genuine smiles, cake and juice.
Boy the WICB is a bunch …I do not think Gayle should have anything to say/do. All the board members are there for is to make their money and run the team like it belongs to a group of about 4 or 5 people, maybe it is like that and we do not know. Gayle should be on the team and should not apologise to anyone.
At this point it’s all about the money for most of these guys, there’s no true love and passion for the game.
The WICB has been shi**ing on our players and Fans for a very very long time, remember how all pass Captains have alwayd JUST LEFT, they way they treaded Viv Richards, Ritchie Richardson, Desmond Haynes, Lara, and all others, the Board treated them like s**t and they kept their mouth shut, but walked away from West Indies Cricket and your cricket has suffered, The WICB sold our Crickter into Slavery to Diggiee Cell? with Diggieeeee as the Lord and Master of the West Indies Cricket, that is and was pure hogwash, so now one player has the balls to stand up and talk, because he can afford to, they want him to kiss their BUTTS I say hell NO. The West Indies needs Chris Gayle, and not the other way round. the WICB and Otis should all resign.
It appears to me that this guy is bigger than the game of cricket, what if he passes on would we ask god to raise him from the dead? WICBC get real, we got too many young persons who are interested and much more discipline than this pompose guy.
Gayle is an unnecessary distraction for WI Cricket. WI Cricket Team is better off without him.
I say Good Riddance!
For love of the game and country, I think that Gayle should rethink his initial decision and do what the board wants him to do. I know we West Indians can do better than that
The whole West Indies Board needs to be withdrawn as far as I’m concerned; and how can one withdraw a statement that’s already been made? If you are asking for an apology then ask for an apology but I still think both the board and players need to look at the bigger picture here and stop driving the West Indian People’s Cricket down the gutter!
Has any lessons been learned by Mr Gayle or the board? Our attitude still seems to be the same, the board, ‘Massa’, was offended, so Massa takes umbrage and insist that the pickney retract his statements critical of the board.
What useful purpose will that act serve? Prove that ‘Massa’ is still in charge? or prove to Mr Gayle that he is still a little fry who must come to the board on bended knees for his supper?
Surely, the board should be fully aware that a retraction of the statement will do nothing to change the way Mr Gayle feels. As I see it the board has not altered its demand from day one, so we are no wiser. Unfortunately, Mr Lloyd continues, through his comments the same puerile attitude of the board.
Look at the behaviour of the Zimbabwe officials when Tatenda Taibu criticised them,
Did they act as though they were immune to criticism or in the interest of their country’s game by selecting the best players?
I am not condoning Mr Gayle’s behaviour, I am just saying that there are reasons for his behaviour and unless we try to understand the basis for this and try to rectify those issues that ferment this type of behaviour we would not have learned.
No more can ‘Massa’ use his big stick policy to whip us in to shape! We are to both admit the errors of our ways and seek to iron out the areas of our disagreement. I therefore strongly support Gayle reluctance to withdraw his statements thus far and would encourage him to resist and ignore this attempt at blackmail by the board.
My sentiments exactly….very well said RAS B…..
I hope that Chris Gayle does not apologize for the sake of West Indies cricket. He thinks he is bigger than W.I. cricket and no player should be put in that position. I think it’s time that we realize that Gayle has been nothing but a distraction in recent times. His occasional centuries barely gave us a win. As i see it, his inconsistencies are not worth the trouble. He is better off making the big bucks elsewhere. All we need to say to Chris is thanks for his contribution to the W.I. cricket and good luck in his future endeavors. It’s time for W.I. cricket to move on. So to all the Chris Gayle fans I say, get over it, I have.
Very good point Ron. Chris Gayle is nothing more than a hard-hitting inconsistent batsman who goes through regularly cycles of a big score followed by a string of low scores in international cricket. It seems that it is in those ‘show pony’ domestic leagues in India & Australia he thrives.
Once again i will say that all those West Indian cricketers whose allegiance first is to money and the highest bidder MUST be kept far away from West Indies cricket.