The cricket governing body the ICC Board reviewed and adopted the recommendations of an Integrity Working Party which had been convened to review the global risks for international and domestic cricket created by the threat of corruption.
This decision will see a greater role for a central Anti-Corruption Unit and paves the way for greater coordination of preventative and investigative activity around the world with a unified vision to ‘keep cricket clean’.
Recommendations adopted include:
* Confirmation that the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) will be the central focal point for all anti-corruption activities in international and domestic cricket and have enhanced intelligence capabilities;
* Acknowledgement of the need for greater coordination between the ACU and national anti-corruption bodies;
* Affirmation of the ACU’s accountability for all international cricket with the ACU also serving as the central coordinator for multi-jurisdictional cases;
* Renewed emphasis on a programme that encompasses prevention, disruption, investigation and prosecution in that order of priority;
* A requirement for all Full Members and Associate Members with ODI and T20I status to review their anti-corruption resources and adopt an anti-corruption code which includes the core principles contained in the ICC’s domestic template code within six months;
* A requirement for all ICC Full Member countries and Associate Members with ODI and T20I status to review their anti-corruption resources to ensure they effectively protect domestic cricket;
* An international panel to be established from which the Members may, and the ICC will, draw their anti-corruption tribunals;
* The adoption of revised ‘standard operating procedures’ (SOPs) based on those formulated for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015;
* A review of all training materials used for prevention, education and awareness to ensure that there is a consistency of message imparted, the most suitable and up to date techniques are used (such as video clips, scenarios and participative exercises) and records are retained of all those in receipt of training;
* The ICC and its members to take active steps to lobby for the criminalisation of match fixing in sport in all Member countries and strengthen relationships with other anti-corruption stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies and betting monitoring companies.
ICC Chairman Mr N Srinivasan said: “This has been an extensive exercise, which clearly reflects our seriousness, endeavor and commitment to addressing and eradicating the menace of corruption from cricket. The successful implementation of these recommendations will help reduce the threat level but we need to remain vigilant and maintain a zero-tolerance approach.”
The Integrity Working Party was constituted at the 2014 Annual Conference in Melbourne and was advised by John Abbott CBE QPM, an independent expert with years of experience in tackling corruption in sport.
