Colombo, August 24 : Cricket Australia chief executive, James Sutherland has denied reports that Greg Chappell had been barred from entering the team dressing room after a rift with players. Sutherland flew to Sri Lanka and briefed players and Chappell, before returning immediately to begin the process of implementing recommendations of the 40-page Argus report.

 He claimed Chappell had not been banned because of his deteriorating relationship with the players, The Sydney Morning Herald reports. “We as a group decided that we would keep intruders into the dressing room to an absolute minimum.

 That included whoever were the selectors on duty at the time,” Sutherland was quoted, as saying. “We actually made a commitment across the board that management and selectors and what have you would spend as little time in the dressing room, and the only times that we would be in the dressing room was when the team was in the field,” he added. Sutherland said the decision to restrict access to the dressing room had been made following Australia''s Ashes defeat last summer ''''to manage the distractions as much as possible''''.

He dismissed reports suggesting it was reflective of a poor relationship Chappell had with players. Chappell has, however, decided to stay as the on-tour selector in Sri Lanka. He will ultimately be stripped of the selector''s post after the tour in the wake of the Argus review.

“Greg will be selector on duty through the Test series. We just talked through the circumstances and he''s completely understanding of that. He''s an employee of Cricket Australia and he understands that''s in the best interests,” Sutherland said. (ANI)