Nine charged for corruption in BPL

Dave Richardson said evidence was gathered from other individuals who rejected corrupt approaches made to them © AFP

Nine individuals have been charged with various offences allegedly committed in violation of the Bangladesh Cricket Board's anti-corruption code during the 2013 Bangladesh Premier League, the ICC and the BCB announced on Tuesday. The charges, which followed an investigation carried out by the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU), relate to an alleged conspiracy within the Dhaka Gladiators franchise to engage in match-fixing and spot-fixing during the tournament, as well as failures by individuals to report approaches made to them to be involved in the conspiracy.

The identities of the nine individuals charged will not be disclosed until the conclusion of the disciplinary proceedings.

Of the nine, seven have been charged for fixing-related offences, while the remaining two have been charged for failing to report corrupt approaches. Those facing the more serious fixing-related charges have been provisionally suspended and have been immediately barred from participating in all cricket activities organised or recognised by the BCB, the ICC or of the ICC's member associations, till the disciplinary proceedings brought against them are resolved.

Those who plead guilty or who deny the charges but are later found guilty by an anti-corruption tribunal, which will be put together by the Bangladesh board, would be subject to the sanctions under article 6 of the BCB's anti-corruption code, which includes 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.

Those charged now have 14 days to indicate whether they wish to plead guilty or to defend themselves in a full hearing, which would take place before the anti-corruption tribunal.

"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," ICC chief Dave Richardson said.

"While we have charged some individuals with failing to report corrupt approaches that were made to them, it is important to stress that this investigation has also been built upon, among other things, evidence gathered from other individuals who not only rejected corrupt approaches made to them, but then did what they were supposed to do, and reported them to the ACSU."

The BCB president, Nazmul Hassan, said that those found guilty will be dealt with severely. "The BCB is committed to doing everything possible to defend it [Bangladesh cricket] against 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," he said.

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