ICC commends ECB ban on Danish Kaneria, Mervyn Westfield – Cricket News Update
International Cricket Council CEO http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Danish-Kaneria-c1314 and former Essex pacer Mervyn Westfield.
“... the ICC Board had instructed all Member Boards to implement domestic Anti-Corruption codes which mirror that of the ICC and the fact that the ECB has a code and through their ACCESS Unit empowered themselves to investigate and successfully prosecute this case, is to be commended,” read an official statement issued by Lorgat and the ICC.
While affiliated with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Essex-c783, both Kaneria and Westfield were arrested by the police on charges of spot-fixing in 2010, but Kaneria was later released due to insufficient evidence.
Westfield, however, was tried earlier this year, and charged with having accepted corrupt payments of up to £6000 for bowling deliberate no-balls during a Pro40 Essex match against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625’s Anti Corruption and Security Unit in 2008 as “heavily involved in illegal betting”.
Both Kaneria and Westfield (following his release from prison) were summoned to a disciplinary hearing by the ECB in regards to their alleged involvement in corrupt activities, at which Kaneria was handed a lifetime ban from the sport after having been found guilty by the disciplinary panel, while Westfield was issued a five-year ban for having brought the game into disrepute (although he will be allowed to play club cricket after 3 years have elapsed).
Lorgat applauded the decision, and appreciated the ECB’s upholding of the laws put in place to ensure the sport remains fair and corruption-free.
“ICC has a zero-tolerance attitude towards corruption and that we and our Member Boards will use everything within our powers to ensure that any hint of corrupt activity within the game is comprehensively investigated and, where appropriate, robustly prosecuted,” Lorgat said.
He also went on to express the hope that the verdict would act as a deterrent to any other players who might be tempted to indulge in corrupt activities, and add that he would be asking all members at the upcoming ICC Board meeting this week to make sure the sanctions imposed on both players were implemented by their respective boards.
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