Ban countries failing to deal with corruption: Condon
Former chief of ICC’s anti-corruption unit advocates harsh measures.
LONDON:
Countries that lack the resolution to deal with corrupt cricketers should be barred from the sport, according to the first head of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) anti-corruption unit Lord Condon.
Condon, who became the first chief of the unit in 2000 following the match-fixing scandal involving then South Africa captain Hansie Cronje, added that the ICC also had to get tougher with their punishments.
Condon, succeeded by former Royal Ulster Constabulary chief Sir Ronnie Flanagan in June 2010, was speaking following the prison sentences handed down to banned Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, and their agent Mazhar Majeed for their role in spot-fixing in last year’s Test series against England.
“The ICC has to give out the harshest sentences it can,” he said. “The nuclear option is banning boards from international cricket. The ICC must get tougher. This is a big wake-up call. Cricket is at a credibility crossroads.
“The ICC and national boards have to be tough and, if they are not, they have to face the consequences.”
Lord Condon said the three cricketers deserved to go to jail. The trio also received bans from all cricketing activity from the ICC in February.
“They deserved the sentences they got,” said Condon. “They betrayed their country and millions of people around the world who love cricket.”
Condon also praised the now defunct British tabloid News of the World for exposing the agent and the players.
“This was a sting that was done very well and I think they’ve done cricket a great service. If the ICC had done this it probably wouldn’t have got to court because rules around entrapment are complex. The News of The World had the freedom and courage to take this on.”
Published in The Express Tribune, November 7th, 2011.
Countries that lack the resolution to deal with corrupt cricketers should be barred from the sport, according to the first head of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) anti-corruption unit Lord Condon.
Condon, who became the first chief of the unit in 2000 following the match-fixing scandal involving then South Africa captain Hansie Cronje, added that the ICC also had to get tougher with their punishments.
Condon, succeeded by former Royal Ulster Constabulary chief Sir Ronnie Flanagan in June 2010, was speaking following the prison sentences handed down to banned Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, and their agent Mazhar Majeed for their role in spot-fixing in last year’s Test series against England.
“The ICC has to give out the harshest sentences it can,” he said. “The nuclear option is banning boards from international cricket. The ICC must get tougher. This is a big wake-up call. Cricket is at a credibility crossroads.
“The ICC and national boards have to be tough and, if they are not, they have to face the consequences.”
Lord Condon said the three cricketers deserved to go to jail. The trio also received bans from all cricketing activity from the ICC in February.
“They deserved the sentences they got,” said Condon. “They betrayed their country and millions of people around the world who love cricket.”
Condon also praised the now defunct British tabloid News of the World for exposing the agent and the players.
“This was a sting that was done very well and I think they’ve done cricket a great service. If the ICC had done this it probably wouldn’t have got to court because rules around entrapment are complex. The News of The World had the freedom and courage to take this on.”
Published in The Express Tribune, November 7th, 2011.