Coach of India’s deaf cricket team slams BCCI for lack of support

15.03.2016, Dubai: Coach of the Indian deaf cricket team, Himmat Singh, has slammed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for their lack of recognition and support.

India were the only side at the four-team Deaf International Cricket Council (DICC) Championship, which concluded at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Monday, that isn’t officially recognised and funded by their own national body.

The three other participating teams, victors Pakistan, losing finalists England and South Africa, are all fully funded members of their respective associations, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and the South African Cricket Board of Control (SACBOC).

However, a report in a leading English daily in India, dated February 4, said that each Indian player had to raise Rs120,000 (Dh6,559) towards their flight, visa, food, accommodation and transport in order to take part in this week’s tournament in Dubai.

The newspaper reported that players relied heavily on hand-outs from charitable groups and individual donors, but Singh told Gulf News they also spent out of their own pockets.

“This is the sad part of the BCCI that they are not supporting us financially or in any other way,” he said via a sign language translator on the sidelines of the DICC Championship in Dubai.

“We pay for everything, spending our own money, distributing it between one another. All other countries are supporting their deaf teams but the BCCI haven’t supported us yet financially or morally.

“The BCCI is not listening to us and this behaviour should change. We’ve tried many times and will continue trying hard to get their attention and support, but still there is nothing from their side. We will not stop the hard work, it’s up to them if they recognise us or not.”

According to the latest BCCI annual report of 2014-15 published in November, the board consolidated its position as the world’s wealthiest cricket body, breaking the Rs50 billion (Dh2.7 billion) mark for the first time in its 87-year history.

The board earned a total Rs13.5 billion in the 2014/15 financial year taking their overall worth to Rs54 billion.

Gulf News has contacted the BCCI and is awaiting their right to reply.