New Wi-fi at national stadium brings headache for ICC official

Karachi, Oct 3 (UNI) Journalists covering the ongoing first Test at the National Stadium here might celebrate it as a boon, but for ICC's anti-Corruption regional official the Wi-Fi internet system installed for the first time has brought more leg work to see that cricket rules are not flouted.

ICC rules don't allow either the players or officials to use laptops in their dressing rooms during the course of an international match and it was not difficult to see they are observed in the past, as normal telephone line internet links were provided.

But now, ICC officials have to keep a vigilant eye as anyone can now use the Internet on his laptop in most parts of the stadium including the dressing rooms due to the signals received from the Wi-Fi system.

Lt Col Nuruddin Khawaja, the ACSU Regional Security Manager for Pakistan and Bangladesh, has been keeping a busy watch on the two dressing rooms to ensure the ICC rules are not flouted.

Michael Owen-Smith, the media manager of the South African team had gone to Lt Col Nuruddin to seek permission if he could use the laptop in his dressing room.

But, the retired army official flatly told him this couldn't be allowed under any circumstances and if he wanted to send or receive any mail he should do so in the media communication area.

Lt Col Nuruddin had also been visiting the dressing rooms to see that the computer analysts who use the laptop to record the match proceedings were not using the Wi-Fi to surf the net or to send or receive mails.

UNI