DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has suspended USA Cricket’s membership with immediate effect over repeated breaches of its obligations as a member body, but confirmed that American teams will remain eligible to compete in international events, including the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The ICC Board, which met earlier this week, said in a statement that the decision followed “a thorough review of affairs and extensive engagement with key stakeholders over the past year.”
“The suspension is an unfortunate but necessary step to protect the long-term interests of the game,” the ICC said in a statement on Tuesday. “Our top priority remains ensuring that the athletes and the sport itself are not impacted.”
The global governing body cited failures by USA Cricket to establish a functional governance structure, a lack of progress in achieving recognition by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and actions that it said had caused reputational damage to cricket both in the United States and internationally.
Despite the suspension, the ICC said the US national men’s and women’s teams would continue to participate in its events and prepare for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, where cricket will return to the Games for the first time in more than a century.
To safeguard players and programmes, the management of US teams will be overseen temporarily by the ICC or its designated representatives.
“This reflects the ICC’s firm commitment to upholding the best interests of cricketers in the USA and the sustenance of a high-performance and player development programme,” the cricket governing body said.
The ICC’s Normalisation Committee, supported by its management, will set out the steps needed for USA Cricket’s suspension to be lifted. These include demonstrable changes to governance, operations, and its overall standing within the cricket ecosystem. The committee will also monitor progress and provide advisory support.
USA Cricket was co-host of the Twenty20 World Cup in the Americas last year, but its internal troubles have long been a concern. At its 2024 Annual General Meeting, the ICC put the body on notice for non-compliance with membership criteria and gave it 12 months to address the issues.
According to the ICC, USA Cricket was warned not to take any action that might jeopardise cricket’s Olympic inclusion or bring the sport into disrepute. Despite assurances made to the ICC Board in July, continued non-compliance prompted the suspension decision at this year’s annual meeting.
“The ICC remains committed to supporting the growth of cricket in the United States,” the governing body said, adding that the suspension should not derail preparations for the Olympic Games.
