ICC orders fixers to steer clear of Cricket World Cup and assigns anti-corruption managers to each team

Stay away: The ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit head says the World Cup is a "very tough event for corruptors to come near"
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Will Macpherson24 May 2019

The ICC are confident that the Cricket World Cup will not be troubled by corruption, and have taken the unusual step of contacting around a dozen known fixers telling them to steer clear of the tournament.

For the first time the ICC have also seconded members of their Anti-Corruption Unit to work with each of the 10 teams. The tournament starts next Thursday when England meet South Africa at the Oval.

Recent troubles in Sri Lankan cricket (which have resulted in bans for coaches and administrators), along with a number of media investigations have put cricket corruption in focus.

All players have been shown a 10-minute video outlining the dangers of fixing, which includes names and images of known fixers, most of whom originate in the Asian subcontinent and its illegal betting scene.

The ICC is more concerned about players being approached away from cricket grounds, such as at hotels, than on site.

“When fixers look at the World Cup, they see a very well-organised, professional, well-governed, well-protected event,” said Alex Marshall, the former policeman who is Head of the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit. “This is a very tough event for corruptors to come near.

“You can never guarantee they will stay away, but corruptors know how well protected it is.

“We have put an anti-corruption manager with each of the squads, my people who work all around the world. Usually this is someone who has worked with the team anyway, goes on tour with them, knows all the players and support staff and has a good relationship so they can report any concerns.

“I have either written, called or whatsapped all the corrupters featured in the video and the other corruptors we know around the world telling them not to come anywhere near the World Cup.

"So far they have all promised me they are not coming but sometimes with corruptors you find they don’t always tell the truth, so we will be taking additional measure to keep them away.”

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