Sydney, Nov 21: Almost all the leading news agencies across the world have decided to boycott covering the first Test between Australia and New Zealand, which began yesterday at the Gabba, because of ‘conditions imposed by the organizers’.

The agencies — Agence France-Presse, Associated Press, Reuters and Getty Images — have also suspended coverage of all Australian cricket news until further notice over demands made by the governing body, Cricket Australia (CA), reported The News.

It quoted the head of a leading news agency as saying: “We deeply regret that we are unable to cover the Australian cricket season as planned. This is in particular a pity for the cricket fans around the world who will not be able to follow their sport through the high-quality international news agency photos and news reports they have come to rely on over many decades.”

According to the paper, CA has demanded the right to see the agencies’ lists of web clients and to veto any they decide should not receive pictures and text coverage of the Tests. In addition, CA refuses to allow agencies to distribute to some legitimate non-sports magazines, a move the agencies say would force them to discriminate between clients.

A CA spokesman said the organisers were still keen for the agencies to cover the game and were prepared to continue negotiations in good faith.

Last year, members of the News Media Coalition were locked out of the first Test between Australia and Sri Lanka over a similar media rights dispute with CA. (ANI)