Undercover move to take on fixers

[ahsan88]

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/...019-16sgt.html

UNDERCOVER agents posing as illegal bookmakers will approach cricketers to see if they report the encounters, under a radical proposal by the International Cricket Council to fight corruption.

Players who do not report the approaches from the agents would be penalised under the anti-corruption code, with sanctions ranging from warnings to fines and suspensions.

The plan is in its embryonic stage and is one of many being considered by the ICC in light of the Pakistan spot-fixing allegations, but the undercover agents would be the first used in any sport in this manner.

The idea was put to ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat and it is now being considered.

''We are thinking of setting up our own approaches to players, to see if they report it, we will think out of the box,'' Lorgat told The Age yesterday.

''It is only a tentative plan at this stage, we are working on a number of measures to combat corruption.

''We are not sitting on our hands on this issue, we are being as proactive as we can in ensuring the integrity of the game is maintained.''

A major problem for the ICC in policing corruption and identifying bookmakers is realising the scope of their operations and methods of approach.

While many players have reported approaches to the ICC's anti-corruption unit or their own boards, there is no telling how many other cricketers have dismissed similar encounters.

If players were aware that any suspicious encounter could be with an undercover agent, they would be more likely to report it due to fear of exposure. In turn, illegal bookmakers would face greater difficulty knowing that each time they attempted to speak to a player, they would likely be reported.

If the plan is approved at the ICC's next meeting, players could be approached by undercover operatives during the Ashes and next year's World Cup.

Australian players have made it notoriously tough for bookies to build relationships with them. Shane Watson, Brad Haddin, Brett Lee and David Warner have reported approaches from suspicious characters in the past 18 months.

Watson and Haddin were approached by the same man - identified later as having links to illegal Indian bookmakers - during last year's tour of England, which included the Ashes and Twenty20 World Cup.

Pakistan Test skipper Salman Butt and pacemen Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir face serious penalties if the ICC can prove they were guilty of spot-fixing during the series against England. The trio have appealed their suspensions and will front separate hearings on October 30 and 31 in Qatar.

Butt is maintaining his innocence despite reports that police had found, in his London hotel room, marked notes given by a News of the World undercover reporter to Mazhar Majeed, Butt's agent and an alleged fixer who is still under a criminal investigation, as part of a sting on match-fixing.

''My cricket career was going well and I was also doing well, these allegations have damaged my career,'' Butt said.

''I hope these hurdles are crossed as soon as possible. I think after passing through so much difficulty in your career, your exposure helps you become wiser. You start to understand your surroundings better and especially who is more sincere with you. This is a hurdle which is a learning process of life.''

The Pakistan Cricket Board has been forced to find new ways to fight the threat of corruption within its team. It has already released a code of conduct for players highlighting zero tolerance for associating with fixers or player agents believed to be involved in fixing.

The ICC also told the PCB to introduce a competency-based education program for all registered players, a strong disciplinary process for the sport, and a deterrent and detection process to identify corrupt players, officials and agents.

PCB chairman Ijaz Butt was warned that if he did not accept and introduce these terms his position as a member representative was under threat.

Pakistan's new team manager Intikhab Alam said: ''The new code of conduct is the first step towards fulfilling the ICC's recommendations.

''We hope the new code will help us in dealing with the disciplinary and corruption problems.''

[Down2Earth]

if the players will be approached 'randomly', we all know who'll be targeted.

[WhiteDudeFromTrinidad]

not before time imo

[shaykh1985]

Originally Posted by Down2Earth if the players will be approached 'randomly', we all know who'll be targeted.

Thats the part that interests me...theres going to be nothing random about this...

[WhiteDudeFromTrinidad]

i would imagine that all players would be approached randomly as in the case of drug-testing

but specific players will be approached when there is loud and clear talk in bookie's circles

[blinding light]

Am I the only one who thinks this is such a childish idea?!

[shaykh1985]

Originally Posted by WhiteDudeFromTrinidad i would imagine that all players would be approached randomly as in the case of drug-testing but specific players will be approached when there is loud and clear talk in bookie's circles

Lol did you see which of our players were selected randomly for the most recent drug Tests...

[Maula Jutt]

Someone please inform our players about this in Urdu.

[MR__KHAN__JI]

Pak players KNOW how to cheat...

they will report the fake ones and CHEAT with the real ones...

gives them a perfect cover....

thanks ICC.

[Radiance Of Australis]

Yeah,lets see which players get picked at random.

[WhiteDudeFromTrinidad]

thinking about it the ICC should have kept quiet about these plans

it's like when the Trini police do a clamp-down on speeding drivers. They announce it in the press beforehand that they're going to be patrolling a certain stretch of road on a specific day with their speed guns at the ready

[Golden arm]

I can imagine - life could be hell for kamran akmal- will always be in a fix- whom to report and whom not to report such a pity- disaster for poor man.

[Maula Jutt]

Originally Posted by WhiteDudeFromTrinidad thinking about it the ICC should have kept quiet about these plans it's like when the Trini police do a clamp-down on speeding drivers. They announce it in the press beforehand that they're going to be patrolling a certain stretch of road on a specific day with their speed guns at the ready

Please tell me they caught a few and make my day.

[SOSami]

Originally Posted by WhiteDudeFromTrinidad it's like when the Trini police do a clamp-down on speeding drivers. They announce it in the press beforehand that they're going to be patrolling a certain stretch of road on a specific day with their speed guns at the ready

They do that in England too, otherwise people could claim their area is being unfairly targeted. This way there is no excuse.

Plus on a broader level, the point is that speed cameras are only put in areas which are high-risk, and by publishing such information the public is more informed of such risks. Education not penalisation apparently.

[SOSami]

I'm happy the ICC have decided to do this. I know there have been calls from quite a few people (the loudest Saj bhai!) for this initiative.

Hope they administer it in a transparent way with a strong audit trail, otherwise it will just lead to one big mess.

[Atif]

This is great news, but ICC should have kept this quiet, would have caught many of the players off guard.

[WhiteDudeFromTrinidad]

Originally Posted by Maula Jutt Please tell me they caught a few and make my day.

of course they do, and you want to know that what their defence is when they get issued a ticket?

"why didn't you advertise in the paper that you were going to patrol this road?"

"we did. We made an announcement in the Guardian"

"but meh buy de Express! not de blasted Guardian!!"

[Maula Jutt]

Originally Posted by whitedudefromtrinidad of course they do, and you want to know that what their defence is when they get issued a ticket? "why didn't you advertise in the paper that you were going to patrol this road?" "we did. We made an announcement in the guardian" "but meh buy de express! Not de blasted guardian!!"

[SOSami]

Originally Posted by Atif This is great news, but ICC should have kept this quiet, would have caught many of the players off guard.

Maybe for ahem Pakistan, it's better to have some warning. Otherwise we might just have Sami opening the bowling for the next decade :Sami

[Atif]

Originally Posted by SOSami Maybe for ahem Pakistan, it's better to have some warning. Otherwise we might just have Sami opening the bowling for the next decade :Sami

lol true, but prefer the money grabbers to be caught

[Saj]

I suggested this recently also.

Its sad that its come to this, but I guess it had to happen.

[Maula Jutt]

It is a good move because one of the most common criticisms laid against ICC is that it is toothless and doesn't have any authority to police or carry out sting operations against the players, and hence has to depend on tabloids. This will give it the required molars.

[SOSami]

Originally Posted by Atif lol true, but prefer the money grabbers to be caught

Definately. Although...

I have a few friends who are doctors and they always tell me “A healthy person is one who hasn't yet been examined by a doctor”

In my cynical view - “A clean cricket team is one who has not yet been stung by the NOTW”

[KingKhanWC]

A good move but they need to be careful as it could be seen as entrapment.

ICC should hire Salim Malik.

[xkalibur80]

what was the point of announcing this to the whole world? Obviously the corrupt one's will be more careful now - our players are an exception to the rule as they will get caught and released as they always do.

[kingusama92]

I don't think they'll actually follow-through on such a plan.

The release of such an idea being considered illustrates that point. This might just be a simple method to "warn" the players that there will be creative methods used to ensure the game is clean. It might just work out quite well or it could backfire and players will continue to persist with their antics [if there more unnamed cheats].

A positive from all of this is that the ICC is actually putting thought into this aspect of the game.

[Free Hit]

why inform everyone about this move
undercover must be undercover in all aspects

[KingKhanWC]

Originally Posted by Free Hit why inform everyone about this move undercover must be undercover in all aspects

We know there are undercover cops but knowing they are cops undercover is the key.

They wouldn't make it so obvious.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by Free Hit why inform everyone about this move undercover must be undercover in all aspects

One good effect of the players knowing that there is a chance of a sting by the ICC is that they will report all approaches just in case.

[Krishnan]

Lol what they are trying to do is a gud job,but they shouldnt have let their modus operandi out.

Now what bookies and players will do is they will use a common third person to carry out their transactions,while deciding they shouldn't meet in person ever from now.

[Sheikh_Ji]

Well if ICC go through with this I think it'll be illegal....entrapment!

But ICC are geniuses for making their plans public. Even if they don't go through with using undercover agents, all players will (theoretically) be wary of the threat and start reporting all approaches. Hopefully that will in turn lead to a better of how bookies operate and methods to deter them!

[SOSami]

The the reason the ICC made their plans public are because they know it's not just Pakistan who are supposedly bad eggs. Every major team will have individuals up to no good and if all such individuals were caught, it would destroy cricket.

To inform is not a noble act by the ICC, it's driven by self-interest. Whioda thunkit eh? A cricket organisation acting in such a manner.

[Impala_KaifTamasha]

If this does happen i fear for the world of cricket.....