St Lucia Stars barred from participating in Caribbean Premier League 2019

With less than a month to go for the tournament, organisers said they were already setting up a new franchise.

St Lucia Stars will no longer be participating in the upcoming CPL edition | Getty

St Lucia Stars will not feature in the 2019 edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) as chief organisers CPL Limited terminated the participation agreement with the franchise's operators Royal Sports Club LLC.

While giving no reason for the move, CPL said in a statement it had last Wednesday “terminated the participation agreement” with the company which operated the Stars and stressed the entity “no longer has the right” to manage a franchise in the tournament.

“On August 7, CPL Limited terminated the participation agreement between it and Royal Sports Club, LLC, the entity that operated the St Lucia Stars franchise. As a result of that termination, Royal Sports Club, LLC no longer has the right to operate a team to compete in the Caribbean Premier League tournament, and the St Lucia Stars will not be participating in the 2019 Caribbean Premier League, which begins on September 4,” the media release from CPL stated.

With less than a month to go for the tournament, organisers said they were already setting up a new franchise and the details of which would be announced shortly.

“CPL Limited is in the process of establishing and operating a new franchise to be based in St Lucia that will participate in the 2019 Caribbean Premier League. More information about that new franchise will follow in due course. CPL Limited will be making no further public comment at this time,” the release further added.

Meanwhile, Jay Pandya, the chief executive and owner of Royal Sports Club LLC and Global Sports Ventures based out of Pennsylvania, has expressed his disappointment with the CPL's decision.

"We completely disagree with the CPL press release and will be working to address any issues the CPL may have in an appropriate manner and forum," he said in a statement to ESPNcricinfo.

The report published in ESPNcricinfo also claims that the franchise had several outstanding payments, which was one of the reasons behind its axing.

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 11 Aug, 2019

    Share Via