Sri Lanka Cricketers Refuse To Sign The 'Unfair And Non-Transparent' Contracts

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC)’s introduction of a new grading system to determine their paychecks has left the national team’s cricketers in disagreement. Sri Lanka cricket board’s decision of implementing a new grading system to decide on their annual salaries may provoke the national players to retire earlier than expected. Sri Lankan cricket team‘s official attorney released a statement on their behalf due to the Management Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket making their income public.

The revised system has modest base salaries and more performance-based incentives. The list of centrally-contracted players has also come down to 24 from 32. According to the system, players would be categorized into four different groups based on the levels of fitness, discipline, leadership performances in international and domestic cricket within the last two years. The cricketers wish to understand how the board allocate the points and know the areas to improve for them. Notably, Sri Lanka director of cricket Tom Moody defended the strategy, stating that the board has thoroughly worked on it and it has not come out of nowhere.

Nishan Sydney Premathiratne released a statement saying that the Sri Lankan players are shocked and dismayed that the Management Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket decided to publish the fees paid to specific players through a press conference held on 19th May 2021. Premathiratne claimed that none of the players have received their individual assessment of sheets, revealing how points have been allocated or on what criteria.

“At the very outset, the players are shocked and dismayed that the Management Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket, through a press conference held on 19th May 2021, has seen it fit to release to the public, specific payment details of contract fees paid to specific players, in a one sided manner. During negotiations in respect of these Annual Contracts with SLC, it has always been the position of the players that they, in principle, are agreeable to a proper, transparent performance-based model, where each player would be assessed and categorised on attributes of performance. However, none of the players have been provided with their individual assessment sheets setting out how points were awarded under the criteria of performance, fitness, leadership and professionalism,” the statement read as per the press release.

Sri Lanka players urge SLC to not hold the players at gunpoint or give the players such ultimatums:

The statement continued further, saying that the cricketers have agreed not to sign the non-transparent and unfair contracts, while also urging the board not to hold them on gunpoint to do so. The players have suggested that the association build trust between them moving forward, be transparent, and attend to all their concerns to resolve any qualms.

“The players are NOT in agreement to sign unfair and non-transparent contracts and urge SLC to not hold the players at gunpoint or give the players such ultimatums. Going forward, the players urge the SLC and the administrators to work on building the trust of the players, to be transparent in all matters and to fully address the concerns of players with a view to resolving the present dispute,” it added further.

Also Read: Before My First Match This Season, Ricky Ponting Told Me That My Time Has Come – Avesh Khan