CA backs players’ integrity against TV claims

Cricket Australia and the International Cricket Council have rejected claims by Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera that corruption allegations aired in recent documentaries have not been taken seriously nor investigated thoroughly.

The administrative bodies have also repeated their calls for Al Jazeera to make available to the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit the full, unedited details gathered during their investigations which allege that illegal spot-fixing activities have taken place in a range of international and domestic matches in recent years.

Despite Al Jazeera's pledge, in the wake of the second part of the documentary aired last weekend, to forward to Interpol the evidence they claim to have gathered on corrupt practices, it is understood they have so far refused to provide that material to the ICC.

Among the claims raised in the two-part series were allegations of the involvement of Australia players and suggestions from a man identified by Al Jazeera as a member of a criminal gambling network that matches within the Big Bash League had been exposed to corruption.

Those allegations were strongly refuted by Cricket Australia's Chief Executive James Sutherland on the basis of past and ongoing investigations conducted in liaison with the ICC, and were met with an angry response by Sutherland's counterpart at the Australian Cricketers' Association, Alistair Nicholson.

"Cricket Australia takes a zero-tolerance approach against anyone trying to compromise the integrity of the game, and to suggest anything otherwise is unsubstantiated and incorrect," Sutherland said today.

"Prior to the broadcast of Al Jazeera's documentary, Cricket Australia's Integrity Unit conducted a review of the latest claims by Al Jazeera, from a known criminal source, and, from the limited information provided by Al Jazeera, our team have not identified any issues of corruption by any current or former player, including in relation to Big Bash League matches.

"We have full confidence in our players in also protecting the game, and we are working closely with the ACA to keep them informed of any developments.

"The materials we have been given have been referred to the ICC's Anti-Corruption unit and we will continue to work with them in order to ensure the integrity of the game.

"We urge Al Jazeera to provide all un-edited materials and any other evidence to the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit.

"Australian cricket is proactive with its sports integrity management and Cricket Australia's Integrity Unit oversees and maintains the integrity of all domestic cricket in Australia, including BBL and WBBL matches.

"In addition to this, prior to the start of each Australian season, all professional cricketers are required to participate in thorough anti-corruption education sessions before being eligible to compete in CA's domestic competitions."

Nicholson also defended the integrity and reputation of the ACA's members, and noted that any substantive evidence of corruption within the sport would be pursued with vigour.

"The players and the ACA remain committed to taking genuine match fixing claims seriously and cooperating in any investigation process should it be required," he said.

"However, as I said two months ago, enough is enough when it comes to unsupported accusations which unfairly tarnish players reputations

"The players are sick and tired of being subject to accusations, without the proper evidence to substantiate it."

The most recent documentary, screened on Sunday night, alleged that players in matches involving a number of national teams, including Australia and England, were among those involved manipulating run rates on behalf of an illegal subcontinental sports gambling network with connections to India, Pakistan and Dubai.

The documentary's main focus was evidence it had gathered around the activities of a central figure identified as Aneel Munawar, including a cache of audio recordings that Al Jazeera claimed detailed conversations between the alleged fixer and a central bookmaker.

The investigation also alleged the presence of corrupt activities in 15 international matches staged between 2011 and 2012, with five of them featuring the Australia men's team.

The list of allegedly tainted matches included six Tests – two of which featured Australia - six ODI matches (including 2011 World Cup fixtures) and three matches from the 2012 World T20.

The documentary also separately implicated matches in the Big Bash League, and one Test on Australian soil against Pakistan in the 2016-17 summer. 

Al Jazeera declined to identify players allegedly involved, or broadcast details about the overs or runs scored, to avoid identifying players involved. 

"Due to the gravity of the accusations and the prospect of criminal investigations, we are not at present naming the fixed sessions in any 15 matches, because that would identify the batsmen suspected of fixing," the documentary's narrator said. 

"Due to the seriousness of the allegations Al Jazeera has uncovered it is planning to provide Interpol with a copy of the Munawar files."

The absence of those details, plus evidence of the time and dates of the audio files purportedly outlining the match manipulation before it occurs, has frustrated efforts by cricket's anti-corruption investigators to explore their veracity and significance.

The documentary also does not explain how the alleged 'fixer', who flags in advance the 'session' (bracket of 6-10 overs in which the total of runs scored has been pre-determined), can guarantee the corrupted players will be at the crease at a prescribed time.

Or how incidental occurrences, such as fall of wickets or overthrows, can be eliminated to ensure the outcome is reached as planned.

Following the first instalment of the Al Jazeera documentary, screened earlier this year, the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit located and interviewed all operatives it identified with the exception of Munawar, whose true identity and location remained unknown.

Earlier this month, the ICC announced that three players who had represented Hong Kong – Irfan Ahmed, Nadeem Ahmed and Haseeb Amjad – faced a total of 19 charges under the game's anti-corruption code relating to international matches staged between 2014 and 2016.

A week later, the game's global administrator revealed that former Sri Lanka captain and selection chairman Sanath Jayasuriya was facing two corruption-related charges, allegations that Jayasuriya has subsequently refuted.

"The ICC is committed to working to uphold integrity in cricket," Alex Marshall, General Manager of the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit, said today.

"As you would expect we will again take the contents of the (Al Jazeera) program and any allegations it may make seriously and will investigate fully. 

"However, I must refute the assertion that cricket does not take the issue of corruption seriously, we have more resources than ever before working to rid our sport of corruption. 

"The investigation into these allegations has already commenced and will run alongside a number of other live unrelated investigations. 

"When considering the claims, we will work with professional independent betting analysts. 

"As with the first programme we have, and will continue, to ask for the cooperation of the broadcaster. 

"We have made repeated efforts to engage with the broadcaster as it can play such a crucial part in the full and thorough investigation it has called for. 

"We do welcome the commitment from the broadcaster to share the files with Interpol and, I hope, other law enforcement agencies who can act upon the information and support us in ridding the sport of these criminals."