Share

ICC let 'fixed' match go ahead

Dhaka - Bangladesh has accused anti-corruption investigators from the International Cricket Council of allowing a match in a scandal-plagued Twenty20 tournament to go ahead even though it knew it was fixed.

A report from a special tribunal set up by the Bangladesh board said the ICC's Anti Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) was aware beforehand that a match in the Bangladesh Premier League was going to be fixed but decided to keep organisers in the dark rather than alert them.

"The evidence is clear that the fixed match between DG (Dhaka Gladiators) and CK (Chittagong Kings) played in Chittagong on the 2 February 2013 was played with the consent of ACSU," the tribunal's report said.

"It is obvious that the focus of ACSU was on gathering evidence and not on prevention of (the) fixed match," the report added.

The report, a copy of which has been obtained by AFP, was handed to the ICC on June 8. The tribunal, headed by a retired judge, was set up by the board last September after the ICC brought charges against nine people over fixing.

Organisers had hired the ICC's investigators to monitor the BPL after its inaugural edition in 2012 was tainted by similar allegations.

The tribunal has subsequently convicted one of the owners of the Dhaka Gladiators of match-fixing, while three international players pleaded guilty over the 2013 scandal.

Former New Zealand international Lou Vincent pleaded guilty to breaching the ICC's code of conduct for failing to tell authorities when a bookmaker approached him about fixing a match.

Former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful and Sri Lanka's Kaushal Lokuarachchi have also pleaded guilty.

The report said Dhaka Gladiators coach Ian Pont alerted the ACSU that he had been approached by one of the team's owners about fixing the February 2 match but was instructed to go ahead and play.

ICC spokesperson Sami Ul Hasan declined to comment on the report's allegations.

"We are reviewing the written judgement and have no comments to make at this stage," he said in an email.

The tribunal said ICC investigators were obligated to inform the BCB of any wrongdoing.

"The chairperson of ACSU, Sir Ronald Flanagan, expressed his regret about this failure to inform BCB of this significant matter and made a personal unreserved apology on behalf of ACSU for not involving BCB at that stage."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to watch the Springboks play against the All Blacks at Ellis Park or Cape Town Stadium this year?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
R0 - R200
33% - 1804 votes
R200 - R500
32% - 1766 votes
R500 - R800
19% - 1067 votes
R800 - R1500
8% - 450 votes
R1500 - R2500
3% - 184 votes
I'd pay anything! It's the Boks v All Blacks!
4% - 248 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE