The ECB will investigate their incoming chairman Ian Watmore after it has been said that he left the EFL due to allegations of misconduct.
Ian Watmore had left the English Football League in November 2018 after citing that he had health problems. On December 1, 2020, the 61-year-old is bound to become the chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). However, there had been allegations that there had been misconduct during his time with the EFL.
Watmore had been involved in some discussions which had jeopardised a £595 million broadcast deal with Sky Sports during his time with the EFL. It was said that he had left the role a week after the EFL had announced an independent inquiry. Sky Sports is also ECB’s senior broadcast partner until 2024 and issues may resurface upon Watmore’s takeover of his post in December.
Watmore told his side of the story when he said that he had been the head of the EFL commercial committee in 2018. He said that he had inherited the contract situation of the said TV deal which had already been ongoing.
‘The League was split down the middle over the deal and I sought discussions with a leading representative to explore ways we could overcome this impasse. That meeting, and conversations within it, were shared with the board and executive colleagues at the time’, he explained. Aside from that, he stayed firm that he had worked with honesty and integrity during his short term with the organisation.
With regards to the issue, an ECB spokesperson said, ‘Ian Watmore was appointed following a rigorous search and selection process, led by global executive search firm Odger Berndtson and a dedicated nominations committee chaired by ECB non-executive director Lucy Pearson’. It was also added that the ECB is aware of the claims that had been made against Ian and that they are doing their best to understand the situation.
The ECB is the governing body of cricket in England and Wales. It is mainly in charge of all cricket matches in the country which include county cricket events like the T20 Blast League. To know more about the said cricket league, check out Betwala.
READ MORE: What is the T20 Blast League?
