ICC opts for work-from-home policy for its staff to avoid COVID-19 spread

Cricket's governing body had earlier decided to conduct its important meetings via conference call only.

By Kashish Chadha - 23 Mar, 2020

In wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, International Cricket Council (ICC) implemented work-from-home policy for the majority of its staff for an indefinite period. 

Top officials of the sport's world governing council, including chairman Shashank Manohar and chief executive Manu Sawhney, are preparing for a video conference to address the massive issue of international cricket being suspended because of the outbreak. 

Read Also: Planning for T20 World Cup remains unchanged despite COVID-19 crisis, says CA chief 

It is not yet clear, though, until when the ICC plans to carry on with this arrangement. 

"Like the rest of the world, the ICC is following guidelines from authorities and in line with the approach of our members, the majority of our staff are now working from home," an ICC spokesperson told PTI.

All ICC full-members have put on hold their immediate domestic and international assignments as part of measures to tackle the situation. 

"Our priority is to protect the health and well-being of staff whilst remaining fully operational," the spokesperson added. "The team has full remote working capacity and as a result we can keep the ICC fully functioning while keeping our staff, their families and the wider communities safe."

The virus originated from the city of Wuhan in Hubei province of China in December last year. It has since infected more than three lakh people, claiming as many as 14,000 lives so far. 

It is learnt that those staff members of the ICC who are not able to work from home, will have their operations "split across two sites to maintain critical functions and at the same time limiting the risk as much as possible".

The ICC had on March 12 decided to conduct its meetings scheduled for Dubai at the end of March via conference call only after many of its members had expressed their deep concern regarding the pandemic. 

(Inputs from PTI)

By Kashish Chadha - 23 Mar, 2020

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