IPL spot-fixing scandal fails to find a mention in ICC's annual report

The IPL spot-fixing failed to find a mention in ICC’s annual report

The Indian Premier League spot-fixing scandal, which rocked the world of cricket last year, has surprisingly not been mentioned in the ICC Annual Report for 2013-14.

The IPL spot-fixing saw more than 25 persons, including three players and a franchise owner get arrested which led to the Supreme Court order a fresh probe into the scandal.

But instead, the spot-fixing which took place in the Bangladesh Premier League where former Bangladesh Captain Mohammed Ashraful was banned for eight years found a mention in the report despite ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) having a lucrative contract with the BCCI for keeping a check on any corrupt activities which might take pace in IPL.

An ICC Spokesman defended the failure to mention the scandal in the report, “The ICC provided very similar anti-corruption cover and support to the IPL as it did to the BPL in 2013. However, the circumstances were nevertheless very different, and shouldn’t be compared,” he told HT. “The BCCI had felt able to deal with the IPL matter in accordance with the processes set out in its domestic anti-corruption code

“The BCB had felt that the best way to manage this matter was to authorise and work closely with the ICC as it led the prosecution of this case under the BCB’s domestic anti-corruption code,” said the ICC Spokesman.

According to the spokesman ACSU had different contractual obligations with BCCI as compared to its terms and conditions with the BCB.

Despite the failure to mention IPL spot-fixing scandal in the report, the ICC officials praised its ACSU officers for their success in many high profile cases last year and unearthing various corrupt activities which rocked the world of cricket.