Player contracts for World Cup in dispute

International cricket player power has resulted in an impasse being reached over player contracts for next year's World Cup in South Africa.

The Federation of International Cricketers' Associations, to which the recently-formed New Zealand Cricket Players' Association is affiliated, has recommended to its members that they refuse to sign the International Cricket Council's World Cup contracts.

NZCPA chairman Heath Mills told CricInfo today that the international group was concerned with matters regarding the commercial rights of players.

The issue is being dealt with by the FICA administrators where former Australian off-spinner Tim May is one of the co-chairmen of the association, and the ICC.

FICA is arguing that the ICC has sold players' rights to the Global Cricket Corporation that it was not entitled to.

This could result in contracts that individual players have with different sponsors being compromised for the duration of the World Cup.

The Cricketers' Associations and the ICC are hoping to resolve the issue within the next two weeks.

Players' issues are something relatively new in New Zealand and first raised their head with the naming of the side to tour the West Indies.

The announcement of the side was delayed while discussions with the Players' Association regarding the tour contracts were resolved.

At the same time, the backing for the World Cup has undergone a significant change. The Global Cricket Corporation, which won the right to market the World Cups of 2003 and 2007, and all other ICC events, including the recently-staged ICC Under-19 World Cup, and the forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy, is to be fully acquired by News Corporation, the Rupert Murdoch-owned organisation.

News Corp had a 5.8% share of World Sports Group, and 50% share of Global Cricket Corporation which owns the marketing and media rights.

As a result News Corp will have full financial control for the World Cup.

The change in ownership is reflective of the decline in value of television rights especially for major sporting events which has resulted in the collapse of several rights companies overseas.

New Zealand Cricket chief executive Martin Snedden had no comment to make on the issues.