Getty Images provides picture images to major Australian publishers and for years has provided professional independent picture coverage of major sports events including previous cricket tours.
The Australian protest follows a similar one by publishers in England when the BCCI introduced a similar ban on photo agencies during the recent English cricket tour of India. British newspapers and their websites carried no live pictures of video "grabs" of the games. Australian publishers plan to institute a similar boycott when the tour starts on February 22.
Sanef says it regards the BCCI's conduct as a serious breach of the customary arrangements for media coverage of sporting events, an unacceptable restriction on press freedom and as having the potential to do serious harm to the game of cricket. Pivotal support for the game, its players and its public supporters is provided by the media's independent, professional coverage.
Sanef says it is calling on the London-based News Media Coalition - with which it has been closely associated over several years in warding off attempts by sporting bodies to impose unacceptable conditions for media accreditation at sporting events - to convey its support for the Australian stance to the Australian media and cricket authorities. In addition, it calls on the International Cricket Council to intervene.
