MUMBAI: The international news agencies have suspended coverage of the on-going India-England Test series following the BCCI?s decision to bar photo agencies like Getty Images and Action Images from covering the bi-lateral series.

Leading news agencies Agence-France Presse, Reuters and the Associated Press along with English media organisations like Daily Telegraph and the Press Association have protested the BCCI?s decision to bar photo agencies fearing that the move will set dangerous precedent.

At the heart of the dispute is the BCCI?s decision to make a limited number of its own images available during the series.

"AFP deeply regrets the suspension of coverage of this important Test series as cricket fans will be deprived of stories and photos of the game they love," AFP?s
global news director Philippe Massonnet said in a statement.

"Unfortunately, the BCCI has chosen to substitute objective editorial coverage with in-house photography, a dangerous principle that AFP, like other international news agencies, simply cannot accept."

The decision will hamper the international coverage of the four-match Test series with most of the news agencies boycotting it.

Britain?s Society of Editors executive director Bob Satchwell said the BCCI?s decision will damage the ability of the press to cover the series. "Editors will be angered by this decision of the BCCI and confused by the motives. They just want to do the best job they can for their cricket-loving readers by choosing from the best news material. By damaging the ability of the press to cover cricket, the good name of the game also risks damage."

The BCCI has defended its decision by saying that it has a policy of not allowing photo syndication agencies.

"The BCCI has a policy not to accredit photo syndication services like Getty Images and other similar foreign and domestic agencies," BCCI media manager Devendra Prabhudesai has been quoted as saying by AFP. "We have no such problems with AFP, AP or Reuters since their text and photo service is for editorial use only. We have already explained our stand to the News Media Coalition."

Meanwhile, the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) and the World Editors Forum have also joined the protest against the BCCI.

"It is simply unacceptable for the Board of Cricket Control for India (BCCI) to take it upon themselves to refuse accreditation to legitimate news agencies, and to tear down the traditional role that independent news media plays in bringing sport news to the public," said WAN-IFRA President and Executive Editor and Publisher of the Malayala Manorama Group of Publications (Kerala) Jacob Mathew.

"Photos are an integral part of news coverage. Because of this unfortunate decision, photographic coverage will be disrupted and cricket fans are being deprived of their right to choose their news sources. These restrictions are a serious challenge to media freedom."

Earlier, the BCCI was embroiled in a dispute with British satellite broadcaster Sky Sports for demanding an additional fees of $800,000 for setting up their commentary team at the grounds.

Similarly, the BCCI had demanded an extra 50,000 pound to cover radio production costs at the four Tests in Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Nagpur and Kolkata. After initially resisting the BCCI?s demand, BBC Radio settled the dispute by deciding to cover the Test match.