The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday sacked its CEO Manu Sawhney exactly four months after suspending him.
Issuing a statement, the global cricket governing body announced the development late on Thursday.
“The ICC today announced that Chief Executive Manu Sawhney will leave the organisation with immediate effect. Geoff Allardice will continue as acting CEO supported by the ‘leadership team’ working closely with the ICC Board,” said the ICC statement.
Sawhney now has five days to appeal to the same 16-member ICC Executive Board which has sacked him.
If Sawhney appeals, his plea could be taken up at the next ICC Board meeting on July 15.
Earlier, Sawhney had said that the governing body’s probe against him was nothing but a “premeditated witch-hunt”.
Notably in March this year, the ICC had sent Sawhney on “leave” as his conduct came under the scanner during an internal investigation by audit firm PWC.
“It is abundantly clear to me, as it would be to any reasonable person or bystander, that I am the victim of a premeditated witch-hunt. All pretence at undertaking a fair process or giving me a fair hearing has been completely abandoned.
“There has been no attempt to comply with the ICC’s internal policies or even basic principles of natural justice,” Sawhney was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.
Significantly, four allegations were levelled against Sawhney, as he was accused of “targeted acts of bullying against certain [ICC] staff”; of “physical aggression, such as fist banging”; of having “impacted directly and indirectly on individuals’ health and wellbeing through [his] behaviour”; and, that he did not “properly report to the [ICC] Board and have implemented decisions or changes without proper consultation with the Board”.
Sawhney was appointed ICC CEO in January 2019.