Corrupt Approaches & Grooming
What do we mean by a ‘corrupt approach’ and how do you spot one? When we refer to an approach we are talking about someone asking you (whether in person, via message, or otherwise) to corrupt a game. This may be through corrupting the outcome of the game, or just certain aspects of it.
Approaches can come from anywhere. They can come from strangers anywhere, anytime – for example in person at your hotel, shopping mall or local gym, or via social media or messaging platforms.
Approaches can also come from someone well known to you, for example a teammate or a former player who may or may not be still working in cricket. In these cases these ‘trusted insiders’ are often recruiting on behalf of the fixers (‘corruptors’).
Approaches can also come from people you have met only recently and/or you don’t know all that well. These people may have shown an interest as you as a cricketer, your career – and you have possibly socialised with them, trained with them, accepted dinners, drinks or gifts from them – they are fans of yours and you perhaps consider them a friend. This process of forming a friendship with the view to try and get a player to fix is what we call ‘grooming’. The initial stage of someone trying to groom you may go on for some time or via a number of informal meetings and may seem innocent and even flattering – it is important to always be aware and question any attention that does not feel right.
Corrupters (or ‘fixers’) ultimately attempt to groom players in an attempt to impress you, win your friendship or even make you feel obliged to return a favour. They may ask you about money, gambling or family issues feigning friendship but actually searching for a point of weakness they can exploit. They may even try and put you in a position where you feel you have no choice but to fix a match at their request.
More and more we have seen attempts by fixers to groom players online using Facebook or WhatsApp – they either approach directly, or take the time to build trust and a relationship – often making many empty promises regarding sponsorship, or claiming to know influential people who can help with your career. They often make claims that ‘everyone is fixing’ and ‘spot-fixing is harmless as you can still win the overall match’.
Be wary of people who you do not know well, or strangers offering you any of the following:
- Buying you drinks in a bar
- Buying you meals in a restaurant
- Introductions to influential people in cricket
- Promises of involvement in Premier Leagues
- Promises of sponsorship deals
- Inviting you to a VIP event or nightclub
- Introducing you to women/men or arranging prostitutes, escorts or sexual favours (free or in exchange for money and with or without your knowledge)
- Lending you expensive cars
- Arranging for travel, or for you to be upgraded at your hotel or on your flight
It could simply be a teammate or colleague who is already under the control of corrupters asking unusual questions about money, or introducing you to the main corrupter or other corrupt individuals.
Just BE VIGILANT.