ICC Suspended USA Cricket
ICC suspends USA Cricket for repeated rule violations before the LA 2028 Olympics, citing poor governance and failure to gain USOPC recognition.
On September 23, 2025, the International Cricket Council (ICC) suspended USA Cricket, citing repeated violations of membership rules. This decision is a major setback for American cricket, especially with just three years left before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where cricket is set to return as an Olympic sport.
The Allegations Against USA Cricket
The ICC listed three major failures in its charge sheet: USA Cricket’s weak governance system, no progress in getting recognition from the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee as cricket’s official governing body, and activities that hurt the sport’s reputation both in the U.S. and worldwide.
“This suspension didn’t come as a surprise. Back in July 2024, the ICC had given USA Cricket a 12-month notice to fix its membership compliance issues. But with problems continuing, the suspension was finally confirmed at the ICC’s 2025 Annual General Meeting.
ICC Rules and Membership Obligations
To remain a member, the ICC requires strong governance, adherence to its rules, and, most importantly for the U.S. ,clear progress toward Olympic recognition through the USOPC. Interestingly, USA Cricket’s own constitution also obliges it to secure and maintain USOPC recognition as a National Governing Body, while following the U.S. Sports Act guidelines for NGBs.
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These obligations cover areas like proper financial and managerial control, fair athlete representation, transparent elections, and due process protections. Ironically, USA Cricket had written these rules into its own constitution but repeatedly failed to follow them.
How USA Cricket Can Get Reinstated
There’s no set timeline for USA Cricket’s reinstatement. The ICC has put a normalization process in place to guide and track progress. To be reinstated, USA Cricket must show real improvements in governance and operations, conduct fair elections, implement credible reforms, and make sufficient progress toward USOPC recognition as the National Governing Body.
Player Protection Measures
Players can breathe easy, as the ICC has kept them out of the governance issues. USA’s men’s and women’s teams are still eligible for ICC events, and preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will continue. ICC representatives will oversee team management and high-performance operations to protect players and ensure the programs stay on track during this transition.
The suspension reflects ongoing systemic failures to meet the standards USA Cricket itself set. Moving forward, the path is clear but requires full board reforms, fair elections, strict constitutional compliance, and real progress toward USOPC recognition.