Have the ICC in collaboration with SLC acted within the ‘Spirit of Cricket’ in dealing with the critical issue of ownership of the intellectual property of DRS?
Posted on March 31st, 2026
AI Overview response
https://share.google/aimode/MQDf4i4KoSTdvPHrq
The question of whether the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) have acted within the
Spirit of Cricket regarding the ownership of Decision Review System (DRS) intellectual property (IP) is a subject of significant debate and public criticism, particularly within Sri Lanka. While the ICC maintains that it followed internal processes to adopt the technology, critics and legal representatives of the claimant argue that the current handling of these rights lacks fairness and transparency.
Core Claims and Allegations
- Original Concept: Sri Lankan lawyer
Senaka Weeraratna
claims he conceived the “Player Referral” concept—the foundation of DRS—in 1997. He published these ideas in major newspapers in Australia, England (London Times), Pakistan (Dawn), Malaysia (New Strait Times) and Sri Lanka, and ‘International Cricketer’ Journal ( Edited by Richard Hutton), nearly a decade before the ICC formally moved toward the system in 2006.
- Lack of Recognition: Critics highlight that while inventors of the rain-rule system, Duckworth and Lewis, received global recognition and naming rights, Weeraratna has received no such acknowledgement or compensation, or even basic courtesies such as being invited to major public functions of SLC, ICC or International Cricket Tournaments. This is what the political analyst Shenali Waduge in a breath taking article categorized as ‘Eerishiyawa’ (Envy) that afflicts not only the decision makers of SLC but the country as a whole. Not a single President of the country, political party, parliamentarian (Member of Parliament) have taken up this cause of injustice to Sri Lanka, except the brave young MP Mr. Yadamini Gunawardena, who wrote a letter to the Secretary, Ministerial Consultative Committee on Sports & Youth Affairs dated July 25, 2024
- Economic and Moral Rights: Proponents for Weeraratna argue he holds both “moral” and “economic” copyright, and that the ICC’s use of the system without consent or royalties constitutes a failure of “fair play and justice”.
Institutional Positions
- ICC’s Stance: Former ICC legal counsel (South African lawyer Mr. David Becker) has stated that the committee members were unaware of Weeraratna’s work during their own deliberations. The ICC has reportedly argued that by publishing his idea openly without a patent, Weeraratna “waived his right to confidentiality”.
- SLC’s Role: While SLC did make a submission to the ICC on behalf of Weeraratna in 2008, critics within Sri Lanka have accused the SLC board and the government of “cowardice” and “betrayal” for not more aggressively pursuing these claims for the benefit of the nation.
- Ongoing Requests: As recently as 2024, there have been renewed calls for the Sri Lankan government and SLC to appoint a Commission of Inquiry or seek Third Party Arbitration to resolve the dispute in a manner consistent with the “Spirit of Cricket”.
Arguments Regarding the “Spirit of Cricket”
The debate often hinges on whether the “Spirit of Cricket”—which emphasizes respect for opponents and the game’s heritage—extends to the equitable treatment of those who innovate for the sport’s benefit.
- Against the Spirit: Critics describe the ICC’s stance as “daylight highway robbery” and compare it to historical colonial attitudes where intellectual property is robbed and taken without any form of redress or accountability. The insensitivity of Euro – centric Administrators of the ICC to this righteous claim from a man from an economically struggling (almost bankrupt) country and former colony i.e., Sri Lanka, is shocking, to say the least. Shame on them.
- The ICC has been accused of acting like a Multinational corporation which visits Third World countries and exploits the heritage of the poor indigenous people.
- see
- Authorship of Umpire Decision Review System: Sri Lankan claims recognition from ICC
- https://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2015/04/12/authorship-of-umpire-decision-review-system-sri-lankan-claims-recognition-from-ic
- Legal vs. Ethical: Legally, the ICC may be protected by the lack of a formal patent; however, ethically, many argue that the spirit of the game demands formal recognition of the individual who provided the solution to “umpiring howlers”.
- The Government of India which acts like an elder brother of Sri Lanka in many difficult situations like the COVID crisis where a large sum of money was given to help salvage the country from total collapse has remained totally silent on the DRS issue. The President of ICC is Mr. Jay Shah who is the Chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC), having taken office on December 1, 2024.
- In both India and Sri Lanka Cricket is treated next to religion but why is India silent on a matter that requires fair play and equity and not legal bluff like some within the ICC are using to prevent Justice being done.
- India’s silence on who owns the intellectual property of DRS gives rise to charges of tacit acquiescence to a Daylight Robbery on the Playing Fields of Cricket. Player – Referral system ( basis of DRS) is Sri Lankan. Make no mistake. Not ICC.
- The stocks of India and particularly that of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi will rise to astronomical heights in the entire cricket world particularly in Sri Lanka if India were to help Sri Lanka gain due recognition and adequate financial compensation from the ICC for use of DRS without the consent of the inventor of the Player – Referral system in Cricket (and an increasing number of other Sports) Mr. Senaka Weeraratna.
Source: AI Overview ( Chat GPT) with input from Senaka Weeraratna
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See also
Whether the ICC and SLC acted within the “Spirit of Cricket” regarding the Decision Review System (DRS) intellectual property is contentious. While SLC formally moved to push the ICC to review claims that a Sri Lankan (Senaka Weeraratne) invented the system
Critics argue the ICC has used bullying tactics, failing to acknowledge authorship to avoid royalty payments, and that SLC hasn’t pursued this vigorously.
- Claims of Authorship: It is argued that the Player Referral concept was invented by a Sri Lankan in 1997, nine years before the ICC implemented the UDRS in 2006, and should be recognized as such.
- ICC Position: The ICC has stated that its committees developed the DRS concept independently and were unaware of prior publications, essentially bypassing legal doctrines of constructive notice.
- “Spirit of Cricket” Concerns: Critics argue that using a system invented by a citizen of a financially struggling nation (Sri Lanka) without proper recognition or royalties violates the “Spirit of Cricket”.
- SLC Involvement: While SLC CEO Ashley de Silva agreed to submit these claims to the ICC for study in 2020, there has been public frustration within Sri Lanka regarding the lack of, or ineffective, follow-up action to get the invention recognized.
The situation remains a complex dispute between intellectual property claims and the ICC’s development of its own technology.
- Is the ICC cheating Sri Lanka? – LankaWeb
- https://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2024/01/12/is-the-icc-cheating-sri-lanka/
- https://share.google/aimode/y8zTQkA3M7ItYJtQj
Jan 12, 2024 — Shenali Waduge Is Eershiyawa” (Jealousy) blocking Senaka Weeraratna and Sri Lanka from gaining credit for the invention of DRS? T…