The latest on Anti-Corruption
Corrupters continue to use social media and messaging apps to target players. Over the past year, the ACU has received a number of reports from players and others about attempts to corrupt and groom them, offering sponsorship deals, their own cricket academy or entry into franchise leagues. The offer generally includes an all-expenses paid trip to meet and discuss the proposal.
The identification of ‘repeat offenders’ and links across the various investigations and formats of cricket demonstrate that the primary networks of corrupters are potentially quite small, with opportunistic and lone individuals operating on the periphery.
Although a number of investigations include people involved in cricket who are covered under Anti-Corruption Codes, many of the repeat offenders are ‘non-participants’. For these serious and persistent corruptors, the Excluded Persons Policy is now in place. This latest addition to the ICC Anti-Corruption Code will mean that non-Participants against whom there is substantial evidence of corrupting cricket, will be prevented from any involvement in the game. They will also be identified publicly, and Participants instructed not to associate with them.
At any given time over the last couple of years, there have been 40 to 50 live corruption investigations led by the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit. Associate Member countries are represented strongly across investigations (either via events, the persons reporting the incident or the suspects). Many of these relate to franchise cricket and very often, the franchise owners - either the real owners behind the names put forward - or those pretending to be a part of the ownership group who, in reality, have nothing to do with the owners but are claiming an association to influence people.
The ICC, including the Integrity Unit, want to see the growth and development of cricket. It is also recognised that the more popular any form of cricket becomes, the more likely it is that corruptors will target it. It is important that members are aware of the risks associated to such leagues including the potential for proposals that are ‘too good to be true’ or where proof of concept is lacking. Leagues held in the past few years demonstrated how even sanctioned leagues can be infiltrated by corrupters. This has the potential to significantly impact the reputation and growth of cricket, the ICC and the Member.
The profile and access to domestic leagues have grown across Associate Member countries. Europe and North America in particular have seen growth and development in the game. The ICC Anti-Corruption Unit has been working closely with the ICC Europe office and Cricket America to ensure anti-corruption awareness and provision.
The Associate Member Integrity Action Plan 2021/23 has been developed to coordinate efforts to support all Associate Members in developing the functions to combat the growing risk across all integrity-related issues; doping, corruption, safeguarding, ethics and discrimination. The plan will draw on the expertise and information in place within the ICC and Full Members to provide greater support and awareness to Associate Members. Work has already commenced in support of the Action Plan including on an easy to access Integrity Resource Platform and Integrity Handbook for all Members.
