By FICA

The Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) has today published its first Player Health, Safety and Security Overview report.

The report is an overview of the risk factors faced by players and participants in the professional game. It is not focused on one country or region but on risks that are faced by the whole game.

The report has drawn on input from players, players associations and key team officials to identify and evaluate the main risks in the game. Its aim is to create a platform from which FICA will work with the whole game, its stakeholders and administrators, to increase the quality and consistency of health, safety and security provision to all players and participants.

Tony Irish, Executive Chairman of FICA, said:

“The recent tragic deaths of professional cricketers Phillip Hughes and Ankit Keshri, both on the field of play, have twice united the cricket world in grief. The loss of two such young talents has been a sharp reminder that playing competitive sport at any level carries with it inherent risks. Furthermore, recent career ending injuries received on the field of play to Mark Boucher and Craig Kieswetter, the passing of Richie Benaud from skin cancer (directly linked to a lack of sunscreen and appropriate headwear protection throughout his career) and the decision of Zimbabwe to tour Pakistan against high-level security advice, all serve to remind everyone in cricket that the health, safety and security of its players and participants is one of the most important issues the game’s administrators should address.

FICA believes that professional cricket should provide a working environment for all players and participants that protects welfare, health and safety, and physical, mental and social wellbeing. FICA not only represents the cricketers of its member associations but in taking responsibility for a global view on key issues, such as health, safety and security, everyone will benefit from the work we do on this.

Whilst some of FICA’s member associations already deliver world-class programmes in a number of key areas in which they are specialists, it is clear that there are areas where the game as a whole falls short and provision is inconsistent, or of poor quality or even non-existent.

We have already shared this report with the ICC and a number of board executives across the game and indications are that it will be well received in most countries. To make lasting improvements, we will work with the game and its administrators, in a spirit of cooperation, on all the areas covered in this report. We will be identifying areas where additional research is required and where investment should be made to significantly improve health, safety and security provision, whilst setting internationally recognised minimum standards”.