Match-fixing and Spot-fixing scandal rocks ICC T20 World Cup 2024, this country's player to get punished
Updated - 18 Jun 2024, 02:38 PM
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Corruption concerns surfaced during the ongoing International Cricket Council (ICC) Men's T20 World Cup 2024. A former Kenya cricketer reportedly approached a player from Uganda, prompting swift action from the ICC's anti-corruption unit to address this issue and combat corruption within the sport.
According to PTI reports, a former Kenya pacer attempted to contact a Ugandan player multiple times using different phone numbers during the league stage matches in Guyana. The International Cricket Council responded swiftly to the incident, but the identities of the individuals involved have not been disclosed.
ICC Warns Associate Nations Against Corruption
The Ugandan player followed the ICC's anti-corruption protocol by promptly reporting the approach from the former Kenya player to ACU officials. In response, the International Cricket Council has warned associate nations about the incident, emphasizing they may be vulnerable to corruption.
"It is not a surprise that this person targeted a player from the Ugandan national team. Associate nations, as compared to the big teams, are soft targets for corruption but in this case, the player who was approached did the needful by informing the ICC at the earliest," a source told PTI.
More So From Smaller Nations - Report
Failing to report a corrupt approach is an offense under the ICC's anti-corruption code, alongside match-fixing, betting on matches, misuse of inside information, and non-cooperation with investigations. Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan was banned for failing to report corrupt approaches in the past.
"Players are approached all the time, more so from smaller nations. In bigger events like the T20 World Cup, there is more scrutiny and if an approach is conveyed to the ICC ACU, then due protocol is followed and a proper investigation is conducted," said another source.
Uganda ended their debut T20 World Cup campaign with a significant victory over Papua New Guinea. They faced defeats against Afghanistan, New Zealand, and the West Indies. Uganda played three of their four group-stage matches in Guyana, with their final match against New Zealand held in Trinidad.
The Maximum Possible Sanction Is A Life Ban - ICC
All the international players receive regular briefings on potential threats and are thoroughly familiar with the anti-corruption protocols. Incidents of corrupt approaches are not uncommon at major events.
The ICC imposes a life ban for severe breaches of its anti-corruption code, and in certain countries, cricketers involved may also face criminal charges. It's worth mentioning that Canada's young wicket-keeper Hamza Tariq was approached by suspected bookies during the 2011 ODI World Cup in India.
"The maximum possible sanction for the most serious breaches of the Anti-Corruption Code is a life ban from all involvement in the game. In some countries, there is also the possibility of criminal sanctions," reads an extract from the ICC anti-corruption code for participants.
