(Cricinfo) Cricket West Indies (CWI) President Ricky Skerritt has quashed speculation linking the West Indies tour of England to a US$3 million loan to CWI by the ECB in May, a loan that eventually became the subject of an ICC ethics inquiry.

Skerritt also denied that the loan ensured CWI’s backing for Colin Graves – the outgoing ECB head – for the ICC chairman’s position, elections for which are due by July.

Skerritt said instead the loan was a “helping hand” given the direness of CWI’s financial situation, one exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Skerritt said CWI was transparent with ICC about the need for a short-term loan, and ECB’s involvement.

Skerritt said the only pre-condition set for the tour was for the safety and security of his players and once that was assured, the tour would go ahead as it was part of the ICC FTP agreement and the World Test Championship