The ICC’s chief executives’ committee are proposing a potentially independent review after spot-fixing allegations against three Pakistan players. ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat revealed a review is already underway.
“We must continue to assess and, where necessary, improve our processes,” said the South African.
“It is not enough that the ICC is regarded by other sporting organizations as a leader in the battle against corruption in sport.
” the recent allegations have reminded everyone of the need to remain vigilant and to ensure public confidence in our sport.
“The ICC’s chief executives’ committee [CEC] has wisely recommended a thorough review of all our procedures and protocols and that is something which is already underway.
“I am especially keen to engage with governments to consider the regulation of betting and also to conside the accreditation of player representatives or agents.
“While the present investigations are ongoing we will not discuss or comment on any specific issues but this incident is a warning for all of us. We must heed those warnings and heed them quickly.”
Pakistan trio Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif were caught by a News of the World sting which led to them being provisionally suspended and charged by the ICC and interviewed under caution by the Metropolitan Police.
They have since left Pakistan’s current tour of England and returned home.
A fourth player, left-arm paceman Wahab Riaz, was also later questioned by police in relation to allegations of corruption.
However, Lorgat claimed some reporting had led to unfair and unsubstantiated allegations against some players.
“The reputation and safety of a player is also paramount and to suggest anything untoward without any substantiation or firm evidence is irresponsible and most unfair on a player,” he added.
Ehsan Mani, the Pakistani former president of the ICC, says that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has failed to get the anti-corruption message through to its players.
“When players first come into the international game, they are given a one-to-one induction [by the ICC] on how they might be compromised,” Mani told The Wisden Cricketer magazine. “But the Pakistan board is clearly not getting the message through to its players.
The onus is on the PCB to explain how players under its control could behave like this.” “Players need to be educated about the ethics of cricket, the values of the game, the bigger things that this great game is about. Without that, it’s so easy for them to get sidetracked.”
The CEC comprises the chief executives of the 10 Test-playing members, including the ECB’s David Collier, and three representatives from affiliated countries.
