The dramatic developments in the Middle East over the last two months have resulted in extraordinary challenges in all facets of life across the globe.
The world of sport, including cricket, felt the impact of the conflict acutely. The closing stages of the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka coincided with the beginning of the conflict following US and Israel’s strikes on Iran and the subsequent strikes by Iran across the Gulf region.
Restrictions on airspace meant operations at major destinations in the UAE and across the region were impacted, triggering a significant travel and logistical crisis that was felt far and wide.
At the same time, the T20 World Cup was reaching its final stages in India. Limited travel options meant teams like the West Indies and South Africa had to wait in India as travel arrangements were made for their departure.
The bigger challenge was for the world body itself. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is based in Dubai and it had to deliver an event like the World Cup amid an unprecedented event where its own home base was also under attack.
The governing body, which will resume operations at full capacity this week, has expressed gratitude to the UAE government for the resilience it showed during the crisis.
“The UAE was specifically targeted, and our headquarters is based here, we were very much at the centre of it. The support the UAE put in place to protect itself and everyone operating within its borders is something we are genuinely grateful for,” ICC interim general manager of the integrity unit, Andrew Ephgrave, told The National.
“The air defence capability was robust. While attacks were targeted at this country, the way that defence was delivered gave people real reassurance that the threat was being mitigated.
“The UAE government's communication was exemplary. They were factual, consistent, and timely, and that directly informed how we communicated with our own staff.
“In any conflict situation, misinformation and propaganda are part of the landscape. Having authoritative, trusted official briefings to rely on cut through that noise.
“And from a logistics standpoint, the fact that Emirates, Etihad and the airports continued to function and adapt under pressure meant we could repatriate staff effectively. That combination of credible communication and functioning infrastructure gave us the confidence to give the right advice at the right time.
“That is a genuine testament to how the UAE government handled an extraordinarily difficult situation, and it is directly why we are now back in our offices and continuing our operations with confidence.”
Even so, completing the final stages of a World Cup amid fast changing logistics and travel realities was a major challenge.
“It has been a complex operational period for us,” Ephgrave, a former British police officer, added.
“Delivering the semi-finals and final [of the T20 World Cup] was the ICC's primary objective. But we were also managing a direct regional threat to Dubai. Delivering the event was one challenge. Ensuring the welfare of everyone connected to it, not just ICC staff but our wider membership, was another.
“The human dimension was the most acute challenge. Our staff had a professional obligation to deliver a world event while personally navigating the reality of living and working in a city under active threat. We moved quickly, implementing remote working, giving staff at the event [in India] the option to return, and ensuring repatriation where needed. Throughout, the priority was clear, consistent communication so that people had the information they needed to make decisions for themselves and their families.”
The last few months have been a steep learning curve for the ICC and organisations across the world. Lessons, even if unexpected and unfortunate, have been learnt.
“This period has added a significant new dimension to our business continuity framework, one that will be built into all future scenario planning. These were not circumstances anyone anticipated, but the lessons are clear and they will be applied,” Ephgrave said.
And that process will continue from the ICC’s base in Dubai.
“We are very grateful that the UAE is our home base. And we love that Dubai provides us the opportunity to operate here and continue our global reach.”
