ICC anti-corruption investigators arrive in Colombo to probe match-fixing claims

(Photo: Getty Images)

By Adam Ellis

Investigators of the ICC‘s Anti-Corruption Unit are set to meet with the individuals linked to the Al Jazeera documentary after viewing all video evidence they received from the global news broadcaster.

Allegations of match-fixing and spot-fixing have been levied against two former international cricketers, a first-class player and the assistant manager of Galle Stadium by the Al Jazeera sting.

And officials have now arrived in the country to carry out vetting the story, which has claimed certain individuals conspired to sway the conditions of pitches for international matches.

Sri Lanka Cricket responded by suspending three people, drafting stricter laws and forming a special police unit to target attempts to fix cricket matches.

This is an issue that has reached the very top of Sri Lanka’s authorities, with the nation’s sports minister Faizer Musthapha meeting the ICC in Dubai last week.

“I am getting new laws drafted for this purpose and I am also proposing a special police unit to enforce the proposed legislation,” Musthapha told reporters afterwards.

This follows an earlier investigation into corruption in Sri Lanka by the ICC several months before the Al Jazeera sting documentary was aired, and was launched around the time the Sri Lanka national team hit a losing-streak in 2017 which saw them record a first ever Test defeat to Bangladesh.

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