Facts 'Not Consistent' With Players' Comments - WICB

Facts 'Not Consistent' With Players' Comments - WICB

The WICB maintains that Jerome Taylor returned to playing cricket before he had been cleared to do so by the board's medical team

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The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has taken the unusual step of publishing correspondence between Chris Gayle, Jerome Taylor and medical staff as they stand by their medical perssonel and injury management processes.

Both Gayle and Taylor have come into conflict with the board after suffering injuries and while the board maintains that the players did not follow specific instructions laid down to them, the players have publicly stated their disappointment with the board's behaviour.

"Following widely reported public comments from Chris Gayle and Jerome Taylor pertaining to injuries sustained by them and their treatment and care, the WICB reviewed all systems and protocols pertaining to injury management of players," a WICB statement read.

"Following the internal review the WICB is satisfied that its medical personnel acted with the highest levels of professionalism and integrity in the treatment and care offered to Chris and Jerome.

"Given the sensitive medical nature of injuries it is not the practice of the WICB to disclose details about player injuries and the management of same.

"However the public comments by the two players have left the WICB with no option but to address the issue in greater detail than has been done in the past.

"The widely reported comments by Gayle and Taylor have created the public impression that the WICB offered no care or support and did not monitor these players’ injuries.
 
"Regrettably the facts are not consistent with the comments made by the players."

The documents show detailed timelines of Gayle's and Taylor's cases, the demands made of them by the board and several subsequent entries showing that in both cases, advice was not followed and appointments were not kept by the two players.

Both men are currently in India playing in the Indian Premier League - the board having reluctantly awarded Gayle a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to do so.

The board stressed the point that both players decided to return to playing before having received clearance to do so from WICB-appointed therapists.

Furthermore, the board has confirmed that comments made by senior batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul following his omission from the One-Day International team will be investigated.

"The Board has also noted various comments made by Shivnarine Chanderpaul in a radio interview," a statement read. "As a centrally contracted player the Board will address this matter through contractual provisions at the appropriate time."

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