JOHANNESBURG - Ultimately, Cricket South Africa was left with no other option. Investigate this shambles that led to the T20 Global League being postponed or risk further reputational damage.
In fact the damage that’s already been incurred is bad enough and demands a review of the organisation’s oversight structures.
Cricket SA announced on Wednesday that “a broad scope investigation into the internal processes on all aspects of the T20GL, as undertaken by various parties during the period of the establishment of the league,” will now take place.
“The scope of the investigation will in principle cover the planning and execution of the T20 Global League with specific focus on, inter alia, aspects of governance, agreements concluded, payments, staff recruitment, authorisation and delegation of authority, league development strategy, decision making etc.”
That should mean that the TV deal that never happened will be properly scrutinised - who is Venu Nair who was apparently given the authority by former CEO Haroon Lorgat, to negotiate the broadcast deal for the T20GL? Why was no deal signed? How is it that CSA and its Board of Directors and its oversight mechanisms failed to pick up - in a timely manner - that so much was amiss regarding the inability to sign a deal?
And that’s just the basics.
The integrity of this investigation is dependent on who is conducting it. While CSA did state that the investigation has already started, it did not reveal who is conducting it, although an internal auditor has been demanding documentation from staff related to the failed launch of the tournament. CSA has also appointed a law firm to give guidance on a way forward for the organisation.
As has been pointed out on a number of occasions recently; CSA need to interrogate how was it possible that such controversy could emerge so soon - just four years - after the administrative restructuring at CSA, which was supposed to ensure a more professionally run organisation.
The federation had demanded that the public and various commercial partners trust it following the fallout from the ‘bonus scandal’ which caused such strife throughout South African cricket.
No one can trust CSA now, not the public, potential advertisers, coaches and players which is why this investigation is critical.
It needs to be shown to be sincere, unlike those glib inquiries that took place when Gerald Majola sought to hold onto power in the wake of the ‘bonus scandal’ - in other words they can’t have another Khan Commission - which was an internal inquiry that laughably exonerated Majola.
Then, beyond the investigation, there’s a plethora of payouts that need to be made to players (local and foreign), coaches and service staff following CSA’s inability to produce a tournament. Given all that, how long will it take to restore the damage done to it’s reputation?
What CSA daren’t do, what it will have no right to do, is to demand trust from the public. The organisation has given up that right with its actions related to this fiasco.