Ben Stokes’ famous farewell speech during his final Test match might have violated ICC’s anti-corruption rules.
Speech breach: Did the Ben Stokes video flout anti-corruption rules?
Shortly after the news of his retirement broke, the ECB released a video of Stokes’ emotional farewell speech at the Trent Bridge dressing-room. By then, the cricketing fraternity had expressed their surprise at the decision. Rising to the occasion, Stokes took a wicket with the first ball he bowled after the ground PA announced news of his retirement.
According to a BBC report, the ICC sent a letter on Saturday (presumably July 4) to the ECB over the video of Stokes’ farewell speech. They have alleged the ECB’s publishing of the footage on the social media platforms at 3.25pm BST (just before the tea interval) during a match day was a breach of the minimum standards required for Players’ and Match Officials’ Areas (PMOA) during international matches.
Article 2.2.11 of the PMOA Minimum Standards states that national cricket federations should “ensure that there are no fixed or temporary video cameras or other recording equipment set up within any dressing room used by the teams for the purposes of broadcasting video or audio footage.”
Neither the ECB nor the ICC have commented on the matter, mentioned the BBC report, though they have confirmed that the “ECB has yet to respond to the ICC”. The BBC report furhter adds that the ECB were informed by the ICC that "any footage shot in the PMOA must not carry audio or be released before the conclusion of a match."
In another report, The Telegraph added: “The ECB declined to comment when contacted by Telegraph Sport. It is not expected to be punished by the ICC.”
Stokes, however, had a tongue-in-cheek response to the entire matter. “Sack him,” he tweeted.
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