Nine charged with cricket match-fixing

The International Cricket Council and the Bangladesh Cricket Board has announced that following a comprehensive investigation carried out by the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit, nine individuals have been charged with various offences that are alleged to have been committed under the BCB’s Anti-Corruption Code during the 2013 Bangladesh Premier League.

The charges relate to an alleged conspiracy within the Dhaka Gladiators franchise to engage in match-fixing and spot-fixing activity during matches in the BPL 2013, as well as failures by individuals to report approaches made to them to be involved in the conspiracy.

In accordance with the BCB’s Anti-Corruption Code, their identities will not be disclosed until the conclusion of the disciplinary proceedings that have now been instituted against them.

Of the nine individuals, seven have been charged for fixing-related offences, with two others charged for failing to comply with their obligation to report corrupt approaches that were made to them.

Those facing the more serious fixing-related charges have been provisionally suspended and are immediately barred from participating in all cricket activities organised or recognised by the BCB, the ICC or of the ICC’s Member associations, pending resolution of the disciplinary proceedings brought against them.

All those charged now have 14 days to indicate whether they wish to plead guilty or to defend themselves against the charges brought against them in a full hearing, which would take place before an Anti-Corruption Tribunal convened in accordance with the processes set out in Article 5 of the BCB’s Anti-Corruption Code.

Those who plead guilty, or who 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 corruption scandal was unearthed by the ICC’s ACSU, which was engaged by the BCB to provide anti-corruption cover during the BPL 2013.

ICC Chief Executive David Richardson, said: “During its investigation, the ACSU interviewed a large number of people who were involved in BPL 2013 and collected significant evidence from a number of sources that has culminated in the charges that have been brought today.

“Considering the limited resources available to the ACSU and the limitations that apply to its ability to uncover sufficient evidence to disrupt conspiracies of this kind, I am pleased that this investigation has led us to this outcome.

BCB President Nazmul Hassan reiterated that the BCB is committed to protecting the integrity and reputation of the sport in Bangladesh and emphasised his desire that anyone found guilty of breaching the BCB’s Anti-Corruption Code should be severely dealt with in accordance with the sanctioning principles set out in the Code.