NEW DELHI, Nov 21: Media organisations called on Tuesday on world cricket’s governing body to intervene in a dispute over coverage restrictions of the Test series between India and England, saying the row was damaging the game.

The News Media Coalition, writing on behalf of a group of news agencies, newspapers and publishers, urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to ‘use its influence and global standing’ to persuade the Indian cricket board (BCCI) to lift the curbs which have triggered a text and photo blackout of the series.

“We recognise that the ICC does not have direct authority of the media policy of individual national cricket bodies but view the ICC as the collective custodians of the good name of the sport, fair play and the promotion of the game,” said the letter whose signatories include Agence France-Presse.

“The BCCI’s policy of locking out an important sector of the news industry risks damaging much that the ICC has sought to achieve.”

News agencies such as AFP, Thomson-Reuters and the Associated Press have all suspended text and photo coverage of the four Test series over the BCCI’s decision to bar photo counterparts such as Getty Images and Action Images.

No reaction was immediately available from the BCCI.—AFP