USA Cricket finds itself navigating precarious waters once again, facing another lawsuit. | Cricbuzz.com

**Legal Woes Continue to Plague USA Cricket**

USA Cricket finds itself navigating turbulent waters once more, as it faces another legal challenge. Incumbent director Atul Rai, alongside former directors Kuljit Nijjar, Arjun Gona, and Patricia Whittaker, has initiated a lawsuit against the governing body and its current directors. Among the defendants are Venu Pisike, Srini Salver, Pintoo Shah, David Haubert, Nadia Gruny, and Anj Balusu, who stand accused of governance misconduct.

Filed in the District Court of Boulder County, Colorado, the lawsuit alleges the manipulation of the membership registration system to disenfranchise certain voters, thereby influencing the upcoming election outcomes. Further claims include USAC’s failure to conduct timely elections after the expiration of Salver and Gruny’s terms and non-compliance with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) guidelines regarding an Athlete Advisory Committee, essential for player representation in governance.

The implications of this lawsuit could prove detrimental for USAC, which has been under scrutiny since receiving a suspended suspension notice from the ICC at its July AGM. This notice served as a warning to rectify its internal issues within a year to prevent the revocation of its ICC membership. The lawsuit has drawn attention to USOPC’s critique of USAC as a “dysfunctional” entity, plagued by internal conflicts and unable to reform. The USOPC further warned that USAC might not be an automatic selection as the national governing body for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics if these governance issues persist. Failure to resolve these issues could lead to USAC’s termination from the ICC.

The lawsuit follows the February 15 termination of Nijjar, Whittaker, and Gona, who were initially suspended in July 2024. This action was a consequence of a letter critiquing Pisike and Salver for governance failures, reported by Cricbuzz. Post-termination, USAC announced elections to fill the director positions vacated by Nijjar and Gona, and sought a new female independent director to succeed Whittaker.

The plaintiffs seek the removal of all the current directors from the USAC board and the reappointment of Nijjar, Gona, and Whittaker. Additionally, they aim to annul the forthcoming director elections.

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