The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has issued a strict new set of alcohol protocols for its players following a series of controversial off-field incidents. According to British media reports, the new guidelines have been officially signed off by the ECB’s Managing Director to clarify player conduct boundaries in the wake of the recent fallout surrounding Ben Stokes.
Under the newly implemented rules, players are strictly banned from consuming alcohol on the day immediately following a match. The existing midnight curfew will remain strictly enforced, and any player planning to remain outside the team hotel past 10:00 PM must formally notify team management or security personnel.
Furthermore, cricketers are strictly prohibited from appearing intoxicated in public or consuming alcohol in the public spaces of the team hotel. The policy also extends to the digital arena, placing an absolute ban on players posting any alcohol-related products or activities on their social media accounts.
These sweeping regulatory changes come on the heels of severe public backlash over a recent bar incident involving Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson, alongside a separate physical altercation in November involving Harry Brook while under the influence.
