CSA denies allegations IPL money went 'missing'

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Cricket South Africa denied allegations by its own president that 68 million rand ($10 million) went missing from its bank accounts following the hosting of the 2009 Indian Premier League.

In a statement on Tuesday, CSA said the claims by Mtutuzeli Nyoka — who was reinstated as CSA's president by a court last week after he was improperly dismissed — were "totally unfounded and devoid of truth."

Allegations by Nyoka, made in an affidavit at the High Court in Johannesburg during the unfair dismissal case, center on money given to CSA by IPL organizers the Board of Control for Cricket in India. The 2009 tournament was moved to South Africa because of terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

The leadership of CSA has dissolved into bitter infighting after Nyoka called for an external investigation into improper bonus payments allegedly made to chief executive Gerald Majola and other staff after the 2009 IPL.

Nyoka was fired and took CSA to court, which ruled last week his dismissal was unlawful and he must be reinstated.

The problems played out as South Africa's cricket team failed again at the World Cup last month, slipping to a surprise loss in the quarterfinals.

The Proteas are now without a coach and a one-day captain after Corrie van Zyl and Graeme Smith stepped down from the respective roles following the World Cup.

Responding to Nyoka's affidavit — and headlines referring to "Missing Millions" in South Africa's media — CSA said on Tuesday that funds it received from BCCI to run the 2009 IPL "were not included in the income statement of CSA as they were not part of CSA activities."

"CSA merely acted as a conduit for BCCI," the statement said. "The majority of CSA Board members concur with these findings. The IPL accounts have been audited by DeLoitte and Touche."

CSA spokesman Michael Owen-Smith told The Associated Press it was important for the national body "to set the record straight."

"That money belonged to the BCCI which is why it was not reflected in CSA's accounts," he said. "It was not our property."

Majola was cleared of wrongdoing by an internal CSA inquiry after allegations that $686,000 in bonuses was improperly paid to him and other staff following the IPL two years ago. Nyoka wanted an independent inquiry.

Nyoka was fired after a vote of no confidence in February, a week before the World Cup, but was reinstated on Friday by the South Gauteng High Court.

In the ruling, the court said Nyoka should return to his job immediately and CSA was ordered to hand over financial documents to Nyoka's legal team within 10 days.

"He must take up his duties," Nyoka's lawyer, Bernard Matheson, said. "They (CSA) must reinstate him and treat him as the president again. But I suspect they won't."

Matheson added his client still wanted "an external audit of CSA's books."

Owen-Smith said CSA will appeal the court decision reinstating Nyoka, but until then Nyoka "remains as president."