Kingston, Jamaica – Following is a statement from the West Indies Cricket Board on the meeting with Chris Gayle.
On Tuesday June 14thChief Executive Officer of the WICB, Dr. Ernest Hilaire; Director of Cricket, Anthony Howard; Head Coach Ottis Gibson and Team Manager Richie Richardson met with Chris Gayle in Kingston.
Gayle was accompanied by West Indies Players Association President and CEO Mr. Dinanath Ramnarine and WIPA Vice President Wavell Hinds at the meeting.
The WICB team outlined to Gayle that the Board has had issues historically in communicating with him and establishing a productive working relationship. Exceptional efforts had been made, especially during his tenure as Captain, to establish that relationship.
Gayle was previously written to by the Board about these issues. The issues include his social media announcements that he was taking a break from the game, that the Sri Lanka tour had been cancelled, among others. He demonstrated an unwillingness to engage the Board.
This pattern of behaviour culminated with his widely publicized interview on KLAS radio in Jamaica.
WICB is of the view that comments had a detrimental effect on the relationship with the West Indies Team Management, the WICB management and was unbecoming for a professional sportsman who would be desirous of playing within that same team environment.
The Gayle team did not share this view and articulated their position that Gayle’s conduct was a response to how he felt the Board treated him and had tarnished his name and reputation.
There was a frank exchange on the differing views.
Gayle sought an explanation as to why he was not picked for the India Series. The WICB Team explained that:
1. The comments made by him in the KLAS interview had created much ill-will with Team Management and unless there was a settling of differences, it would be difficult to see how the parties could harmoniously function;
2. That WICB Management had to establish with him the necessity to respect rules and regulations and his willingness to engage, in a constructive manner, on matters which are of concern to him;
3. That the Selection Committee would have to meet with him to discuss issues relating to the Selection Criteria;
4. That the WICB Board of Directors would need to provide policy guidelines on how to handle players who for reasons other than fitness, or personal distress make themselves unavailable for selection but expect to be selected whenever they deem it necessary to make themselves available.
After lengthy discussions the WICB’s team outlined that Dr. Hilaire would have to meet with the WICB Board of Directors and the Selection Committee to report on the discussions and establish the way forward having now had a frank and direct discussion with Gayle. As the Board Meeting is today Friday June 17th it was proposed that the WICB Management would write Gayle after the meeting to outline the way forward.
The meeting with Gayle ended in uncertainly though as Mr. Ramnarine insisted that the WICB has no business writing to players and under no circumstances should WICB be writing to Gayle or any player for that matter as it is his view that the players are not in the employ of the WICB.
The Board of Directors will receive a Report from the CEO on the meeting with Gayle and the behaviour, actions and conduct of Mr. Ramnarine during the meeting with Gayle.