ICC fighting ‘war’ against corruption
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is fighting a “war” against
corruption which even includes educating groundsmen as well as players
and officials, its chief executive said Wednesday. “It is a war we are
fighting,” David Richardson said at the launch in London of the final
ICC Champions Trophy, which will be held in England next summer before
the Ashes series.
This picture taken on October 17, 2012, shows a screen
reading “Rain stops play” after a storm put an end to the
Champions League T20 (CLT20) cricket match between the
Kolkata Knight Riders (India) and the Perth Scorchers
(Australia) at the Sahara Park Kingsmea, in Durban. AFP |
“Our anti-corruption unit have their work cut out to make sure
players are kept away from temptation.
“It’s everybody now, unfortunately. Everybody is susceptible --
curators, groundsmen -- our corruption unit is very aware of what it
needs to do.” Six South Asian umpires were provisionally suspended last
week after an Indian TV sting alleged they were open to bribery, while
five Indian cricketers were also suspended during this year’s Indian
Premier League over allegations no-balls could be arranged to order.
Other tournaments including Twenty20 leagues in Bangladesh and Sri
Lanka have also been tainted by scandal.
The Champions Trophy, which pitches the top eight one-day nations
together, is being scrapped to make way in the international calendar
for a new World Test Championship from 2017.
“This tournament is part of the current rights cycle, as we call it,”
Richardson said.
“Somewhere in the middle the strategy was changed as far as ICC
events are concerned. We have three vibrant formats of the game and it
makes sense to hold one major event for each format. “The World Cup is
the pinnacle 50-over event so the Champions Trophy is the one to go. “In
2017 there will be a World Test Championship which will be the first
time we have had a Test event on a global scale.” The Champions Trophy
will be played over 18 days with the matches scheduled for Cardiff, The
Oval and Edgbaston, which will host the final on June 23.
AFP
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