The International Cricket Council charged nine individuals on Tuesday with various offences they had committed during the 2013 Bangladesh Premier League but refused to disclose their identities.
The charges are related to an alleged conspiracy within the Dhaka Gladiators franchise to engage in match-fixing and spot-fixing activities.Seven of the nine individuals have been directly charged with fixing-related activities, while two others were charged with failing to report corrupt approaches despite being obliged to do so.
The charges were bought after a massive investigation by the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit, which was engaged by the BCB to provide anti-corruption cover during the BPL’s second edition.
ICC chief executive officer David Richardson formally announced the charges at a crowded press conference in Dhaka but declined to provide further details.
‘Under the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s anti-corruption code, unfortunately we are not entitled to disclose any names until the whole disciplinary process is completed,’ Richardson said at the press conference.
‘You can understand this is to protect those individuals who in the end might be found not guilty,’ he said.
‘Once their names are linked to this inquiry, it is very difficult for people not to jump to conclusions and that is the reason for the provision in the anti-corruption code,’ Richardson said.
‘As far as the team is concerned, we have already said that the fixing conspiracy relates to matches involving the Dhaka Gladiators, but beyond that we do not want to speculate about any other teams involved or provide any other details.
‘I do not want to give details about any other cricketers. There is already a lot written in the media and me giving any details of the teams involved and the [players’] nationalities would only add to the speculation.
‘And the last thing that I do not want to do is add unfair speculation on persons not involved,’ he said.
The individuals facing charges have been provisionally suspended from participating in all cricket activities organised or recognised by the BCB, the ICC and all ICC member boards pending a disciplinary hearing.
The accused now have 14 days to indicate whether they wish to plead guilty or to defend themselves against
the charges in a full hearing.
The disciplinary hearing would take place before an anti-corruption tribunal formed by the Bangladesh Cricket Board, according to the body’s anti-corruption code.
Those who would plead guilty or be subsequently found guilty by the tribunal would face suspensions ranging from five years to life-bans for fixing offences and one to five years for failing to report approaches.
The BCB said it was now working on the formation of a three-man tribunal, which would be headed by a retired Supreme Court judge.
‘The tribunal will be formed immediately. We are already working on it and you should know about the panel in a few days,’ BCB president Nazmul Hasan said at the press conference.
-With New Age input
