NEW DELHI: The Indian Cricketers' Association (ICA) on Tuesday strongly condemned the "threatening" message to veteran wicketkeeper-batter Wridhimann Saha by a senior Indian journalist and welcomed the BCCI's decision to probe the issue.
The ICA urged the board to take strictest possible action in the matter. "We acknowledge the fact that the media plays a very important role both in the growth of our game and the players but there's always a line that must never be crossed," ICA head Ashok Malhotra said in a statement.
"What has happened in Saha's case is totally unacceptable and we call for the respective press organisations too to take up the matter and ensure such things are not repeated. At the ICA our foremost concern is the welfare of cricketers, past and present, and we cannot accept such behaviour from anyone let alone a journalist," he added.
Malhotra wants Saha to reveal the name of the journalist who sent him that message. "We are fully with Saha and request him to reveal the journalist's name. Should the BCCI feel the need to cancel the erring journalist's accreditation and access to any BCCI event, we will fully support the move," he added.
"We would offer our full support to Saha at this juncture. No player should be subjected to such 'threats' from anyone in the media or elsewhere. We urge the media also to come out in support of Saha and ensure that these sorts of issues don't crop up again. Any interaction between a player and the media has always to be voluntary," said ICA secretary Hitesh Majumdar.