ACSU spots 9 bookies

The Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) of the International Cricket Council (ICC) spotted nine bookies involved in unscrupulous practices in the second season of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

However, the names of the bookies will not be revealed until the end of the disciplinary proceedings in accordance with the Anti-Corruption Code of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).

ICC Chief Executive Officer David Richardson read out the full report at a joint press conference with the BCB at the Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel in Dhaka on Tuesday. BCB President Nazmul Hassan accompanied the ICC CEO at the conference.

Seven of the nine accused have been charged with fixing related offences while the two others have been charged for failing to comply with the obligations to report corrupt approaches that were made to them.

ACSU issued charge letters, detailing the allegations, to the relevant individuals.

The serious offenders have been suspended provisionally from all cricketing activities. However, all of them will get 14 days to indicate whether they wish to plead guilty or to defend themselves.

BCB will arrange a hearing for the suspects by forming a tribunal in accordance with its anti-corruption guidelines.

David Richardson pleaded for clean cricket at the conference. He said, “The evidence uncovered is a grave reminder of the need for the sport to remain vigilant against the continuing threat of corruption, and for players and support personnel to take personal responsibility for protecting the integrity of the game.”

He also lauded the work of ACSU and BCB. “Clearly there is more work to be done in the prosecution of these cases, but a significant amount of work has already been undertaken, with the BCB’s cooperation throughout, and I am grateful to all concerned.”

“The continuing fight against corruption in cricket is not only the responsibility of the authorities like the ICC and the BCB, but it is increasingly the personal responsibility also of all players and support personnel (including team owners, administrators, officials and representatives),” the CEO added.

BCB hired ACSU to “save” BPL 2 from the bookies. A day after the final match, the anti-graft body in its report dubbed some matches and players suspicious. On the basis of that report, the BCB had assigned ACSU to further investigate the matter.

The time frame of submitting the final report has been extended several times. The area of investigation also increased as new names came under investigation.

An ACSU delegation comprising ICC Chief Executive Officer David Richardson, Chief Communication Officer Sami-ul Hasan, legal wing Chief Ian Higgins, ACSU Investigation Officer Alan Peacock and its Chief YP Singh, arrived Dhaka on Monday to hand over their findings and recommendations about the alleged corruption in the second season of the BPL.

PUNISHMENT UP TO LIFE BAN

Those who would plead guilty or would deny the charges but are later found guilty by an Anti-Corruption Tribunal, would be subject to the sanctions mandated in Article 6 of the BCB’s Anti-Corruption Code, which include the impositions of a suspension of: (a) between five years up to a lifetime for the fixing offences; and (b) between one to five years for any failure to report a corrupt approach, the ACSU report read.

BCB President Nazmul Hassan also mentioned about “severe punishment” for breaching the BCB’s Anti-Corruption Code. He said, “The BCB is committed to doing everything possible to defend it from the very small group of people who are willing to compromise the values of the overwhelming majority for personal greed and, in so doing, bring disgrace upon themselves and their associates, as well as tarnishing the image of the game.”

“As the custodians of the sport in Bangladesh, it is the responsibility of the BCB to protect its integrity for all those who engage in any way with the sport of cricket, whether players, spectators, broadcasters, sponsors or otherwise,” he added.

BCB banned, pending investigation, former Bangladesh skipper Mohammad Ashraful from all forms of cricket on June 4 after he had confessed his involvement in BPL 2 match fixing during the second phase of ACSU interrogation.

Alan Peacock and Ian Higgins met Ashraful before the conference to let him know about the investigation report where the youngest Test centurion pleaded for getting back to cricket accepting any punishment for his wrong doings.

FORMING TRIBUNAL UNDERWAY

BCB will form a tribunal for the hearing of the accused within two to three days, according to Nazmul Hassan.

“The process is in the final stage,” he said.

The disciplinary committee will form the tribunal which will hold the right to punish the accused, the ICC CEO stated at the conference.

The tribunal will be a three-member panel headed by a retired judge as stipulated in anti-corruption guidelines.