Hong Kong players banned from all cricket for life
SEOUL (92 News) - Hong Kong players Irfan Ahmed and Nadeem Ahmed have been banned from all cricket for life, whilst teammate Haseeb Amjad has received a five-year ban after the ICC Anti-Corruption Tribunal found them guilty of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.
During the hearing, the Tribunal heard evidence that all three players of Hong Kong fixed or contrived to fix matches, failed, for reward, to perform and failed to disclose approaches to fix during a number of international fixtures across a two-year period.
Irfan Ahmed was found guilty of the following nine offences under the Code:
1. Article 2.1.1 of the 2012 Code – fixing or contriving or otherwise influencing improperly, or being a party to an effort to fix or contrive or otherwise influence improperly, the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of the Hong Kong v Scotland match of 13 January 2014.
2. Article 2.4.2 of the 2012 Code – failure to disclose full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in conduct that would amount to a breach of the 2012 Code in relation to the Hong Kong v Scotland match of 13 January 2014.
3. Article 2.1.1 of the 2012 Code – fixing or contriving or otherwise influencing improperly, or being a party to an effort to fix or contrive or otherwise influence improperly, the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of the Hong Kong v Canada match of 17 January 2014.
4. Article 2.1.3 of the 2012 Code – failure, for reward, to perform to one's abilities in the Hong Kong v Canada match of 17 January 2014.
5. Article 2.4.2 of the 2012 Code – failure to disclose full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in conduct that would amount to a breach of the 2012 Code in relation to the Hong Kong v Canada match of 17 January 2014.
6. Article 2.1.2 of the 2012 Code – seeking, accepting, offering or agreeing to accept a bribe or other Reward to fix or contrive or otherwise influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of the Hong Kong v Zimbabwe match of 12 March 2014.
7. Article 2.1.3 of the 2014 Code – seeking, accepting, offering or agreeing to accept a bribe or other Reward to fix or contrive or otherwise improperly influence the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of one of more of the ICC World T20 Qualifiers in July 2015.
8. Article 2.4.4 of the 2014 Code - failure to disclose full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in Corrupt Conduct under the 2014 Code in relation to one or more of the ICC World T20 Qualifiers in July 2015.
9. Article 2.1.3 of the 2014 Code – seeking, accepting, offering or agreeing to accept a bribe or other Reward to fix or contrive or otherwise improperly influence the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of one of more of the 2016 ICC World T20 matches.
Nadeem Ahmed was found guilty of the following three offences under the Code:
1. Article 2.1.1 of the 2012 Code – fixing or contriving or otherwise influencing improperly, or being a party to an effort to fix or contrive or otherwise influence improperly, the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of the Hong Kong v Scotland match of 13 January 2014.
2. Article 2.4.2 of the 2012 Code – failure to disclose full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in conduct that would amount to a breach of the 2012 Code in relation to the Hong Kong v Scotland match of 13 January 2014.
3. Article 2.1.3 of the 2014 Code - seeking, accepting, offering or agreeing to accept a bribe or other Reward to fix or contrive or otherwise improperly influence the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of one of more of the 2016 ICC World T20 matches
Haseeb Amjad was found guilty of the following three offences under the Code:
1. Article 2.1.1 of the 2012 Code – fixing or contriving or otherwise influencing improperly, or being a party to an effort to fix or contrive or otherwise influence improperly, the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of the Hong Kong v Canada match of 17 January 2014.
2. Article 2.1.3 of the 2012 Code – failure, for reward, to perform to one's abilities in the Hong Kong v Canada match of 17 January 2014
3. Article 2.4.2 of the 2012 Code – failure to disclose full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in conduct that would amount to a breach of the 2012 Code in relation to the Hong Kong v Canada match of 17 January 2014.
Alex Marshall, ICC General Manager – ACU said: “This has been a long and complex investigation which has uncovered systematic attempts to influence moments in matches by experienced international cricketers over a period of time. Their conduct was premeditated and sophisticated and each of the Ahmed brothers sought to corrupt others.
“The main offences relate to the Hong Kong matches against Scotland and Canada where the players fixed specific overs. These matches were won by Hong Kong so it did not materially affect the results of the tournament, however I cannot reiterate strongly enough to any player considering this that we treat any form of fixing – spot or match – with the upmost seriousness.
“With the fixers finding it harder than ever before to penetrate the highest levels of the game, we are increasingly seeing them turn their attention to other avenues in the sport and we will continue to work with Members to ensure players at all levels are educated about the dangers of corruption.
“The severity of the offences is reflected in the sanctions and I hope will deter other players from taking this path and demonstrate to cricket fans around the world our commitment to a corruption free sport.”
The full findings on the matter can be found here and the decision on sanction can be found here.
