Match Fixing and Cricket
With probes into International cricket bringing out the harsh reality of match fixing where many players while representing their home countries have been involved in match-fixing and thus by even losing a single match or an entire tournament have come out to be big winners where their pockets are concerned.
The first high profile match fixing probe happened when the like of Hanse Cronje, Muhammad Azzaruddin, Saleem Malik and many other players were fined or imposed with life time bans when it was found that they had been involved one way or another in match fixing. After this the checks and balances on players became even stricter and they were told to report any such offers if ever made to them so that the authorities can deal with the culprits.
Match fixing and book keeping in sports seems to be a very old practise of making money. It’s like going to a casino except one uses a communication made to contact bookies and bookies in turn approach the players offering them money to perform as per the book keepers plans.
In cricket, what started off from International cricket seems to have spread its root deep into English county cricket as well with at least two more players. An official recently reported approaches made by bookmakers to the Professional Cricketers’ Association.
According to media reports, “More players have contacted their union to report approaches from bookmakers and a seasoned county cricketer has even gone on to claim that he was approached by an Indian businessman for fixing a match and had told him to “name his own price”.
PCA has now sprung into action and has asked all its players to come forward and report any such contact by bookmakers. Those who have been approached, their cases have been referred to the ICC’s anti-corruption unit.
PCA chief executive officer Angus Porter says that he is happy that lot of players are shrugging off their fear and coming forward to their clubs and reporting any untoward incident that they may face so that the game can eventually be made corruption free.
However the ICC and the PCA both do say that they don’t yet know is what they are uncovering is a tip of the iceberg situation or whether they are just flushing out old stories.
However one thing is for sure that there is a very good feeling amongst fans now that at least players are reporting such incidents now.
To encourage more players, the PCA might send a message to its members this weekend reminding them of the protocols around reporting approaches from bookmakers and will follow that up with an e-mail.
PCA is also considering to pursue the ICC and its anti-corruption unit to grant amnesty to the players to encourage more cricketers to come forward as currently they face disciplinary action if they do not immediately report suspicious approaches.
ICC as well as other county cricket clubs operating across the globe say that they want to once and for all bring an end to the menace of match fixing in sports, they say that sports needs to be left alone and be a source of entertainment and professional competitiveness for fans and players alike, instead of becoming a money making gambling machine.
Players today are encouraged to report any unethical situation that they maybe approached by since officials say that they want anyone with information about forces trying to corrupt the game to come forward.
Recently Pakistans spinner Danish Kaneria and pacer Mervyn Westfield were arrested two weeks ago and released on bail for allegedly spot-fixing during last season’s Pro40 match between Essex and Durham.
Tags: