The International Cricket Council (ICC) has sought a formal explanation from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), alleging that the mid-Test broadcasting of Ben Stokes' dressing room retirement speech breached strict Players' and Match Officials' Areas (PMOA) anti-corruption protocols.
The ICC has standard directives specifying that any casual behind-the-scenes footage captured within the PMOA boundaries must not carry raw audio and cannot be released until the match has completely concluded.
The ECB released the emotional video of the former captain on its official social media channels when Stokes was in the middle of a bowling spell against New Zealand at Trent Bridge.
The ICC's disciplinary letter focuses on Article 2.2.11 of the PMOA minimum standards. This rule explicitly dictates how national cricket boards must safeguard sensitive locker room spaces: "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."
In a letter sent on Saturday, the ICC stated the ECB has violated the provision by recording and broadcasting the footage and audio of Stokes' address before the end of the Test match.
In the past, the apex body had also informed the ECB that any footage shot in the PMOA must not carry audio or be released before the conclusion of a match.
After the four day’s playing during Nottingham Test, Stokes clarified that the public broadcast timing was purely "a plan" orchestrated between his external management agents and the ECB's media team.
"I just said, 'You guys work with Michael Lumb and Neil Fairbrother, who work with me, and you guys just come up with a plan'," said the all-rounder.
Shortly after the retirement announcement, Stokes took a wicket with his very next ball, and later cracked 30 runs off 20 balls opening the batting for England in their run chase. His international career official ended the following day, with England suffering a 160-run defeat to concede the home Test series 1-2 to New Zealand.
Neither the ECB nor the ICC have made any public remarks on the letter, which was sent the day before the Women's T20 World Cup final at Lord's. The ECB has yet to respond to the ICC.
(With BBC Inputs)
