Tony Irish believes confiscation of phones could crush players' privacy

The chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers’ Association (FICA) Tony Irish has sent a warning to the world cricket body International Cricket Council (ICC) while believing that the seizing of phones during the anti-corruption investigation could further prove to be a daunting challenge for the privacy.

“We have warned that this may encroach on players’ privacy,” Irish was quoted as saying by The Canberra Times.

The statement of Irish came when Anti-Corruption Unit chief Alex Marshall, who was the senior policeman in the United Kingdom, said they might collect phones from the players, in order to continue the detailed investigation and for that Cricket Australia has already extended the support to Board.

Irish termed it is the basic right of the players while adding he understands it very well and sees the process an important point for the investigation procedure in order to discover any body’s involvement.

“While it’s a useful tool for investigation and that (privacy) is also fundamental to players,” Irish maintained.

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Regarding the extraction of the data from the mobile phones, FICA management was taken into the consideration early this year (2017), to put forth the vital suggestions regarding the improvement in the anti-corruption, but the head of the independent body alarmed the warning regarding the expected misuses for seizing the phones in connection with the spot-fixing scandals.

It’s pertinent to mention the laws proposed by ICC suggested the body has the power to seize phones of players as well and it doesn’t seem well with the Irish while suggesting the mechanism has to play its part in eradicating the fixing menace for what the body has shown the zero-tolerance.

“We’ve been disappointed in the ICC’s response to that, in particular, the suggestion that a global education program be put in place across the board,” Irish explained.

Moreover, Irish remarked it would be a massive blow if any of the players from Australia or England would be found culprit during the latest claims according to the British-based tabloid The Sun.

“I’d be very surprised if any English or Australian players were involved in this sort of stuff,” Irish asserted.

However, ICC’s anti-corruption unit swung into action to track down the veracity of the fixing plot, before the head of the Dubai-based ACU’s Marshall played down the substance availed by The Sun early on.

Earlier, the shocking claims suggested that the ongoing Ashes’ third Test in Perth is overshadowed by the spot-fixing plans.

With Cricket Australia investing over $1 to keep the game clean, Irish reiterated the investigation has to be taken in a detailed manner.

“Obviously [the claims] have to be thoroughly investigated,” Irish said.

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Carrying the sting operation, The Sun’s video footage earlier revealed Indian-based Sobers Joban and Priyank Saxena claimed they are supposed to fix the games in the impending Big Bash league (2017-18) while allegedly adding the former Australian cricketer has been passing on the detailed information which subsequently embroiled the controversy.

Shockingly, the bookie in the former of Saxena alongside Joban, who is said to be played state-cricket claimed they to manage the fixing for the widely acclaimed Indian Premier League (IPL) which further includes recently-concluded Bangladesh Premier League.