NEW DELHI: The administrators of cricket continue to face the shadow of corruption, but the
ICC
's anti-corruption squad struck a rapid blow to one possible approach from a former Kenyan international to a
Ugandan player
in the current
T20 World Cup
.
According to information obtained by PTI, the incident happened during the league stage matches in Guyana. It involved a former Kenyan bowler attempting to get in touch with a member of the Ugandan team from several different numbers.
"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.
As required by the ICC's stringent anti-corruption guidelines, the Ugandan athlete informed the ACU authorities present about the approach.
The incident led the authorities to alert all the affiliated teams about the former Kenyan player and raise the red flag against him.
"Players are approached all the time, more so from smaller nations. In bigger events like 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.
According to the ICC's anti-corruption code, it is illegal to fail to disclose a corrupt approach.
Match-fixing
, gambling on the game, misusing insider information, and refusing to assist with an inquiry are among the additional offenses.
In Trinidad on Friday, Uganda concluded their Twenty20 World Cup campaign with a thrilling victory over Papua New Guinea and defeats against Afghanistan, New Zealand, and the West Indies. Three of Uganda's four league games were held in Guyana. Uganda, along with co-hosts USA and Canada, were first-time participants in the competition.
"The anti-corruption code covers all cricket (whether international or domestic) played under the auspices of the ICC and its Members and applies to all Participants; player, coach, trainer, manager, selector, team owner or official, doctor, physiotherapist, match referee, pitch curator, player agent, umpires, as well as ICC and NCF Officials.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) modified its anti-corruption policy on June 1st, granting the body's governing body and member boards the authority "to proactively and thoroughly investigate incidents of corruption in the ongoing effort to protect the integrity of the game."
The Code applies to participants for a period of two years following their final official cricket match.
"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 ICC anti-corruption code for participants.
Every foreign participant receives frequent updates regarding possible threats and is familiar with the anti-corruption code.
Corrupt practices at high-profile events are nothing new.
Alleged bookmakers approached Canada's 20-year-old wicketkeeper
Hamza Tariq
during the 2011 ODI World Cup in India. He appropriately reported the incident to the police.
English (US) ·