Former Sri Lankan Cricketer Banned For 6 years For Trying To Fix Matches
The former player is banned after being found guilty of trying to fix matches and failing to disclose corrupt approaches from a suspected Indian bookie.
Former Sri Lanka pacer Nuwan Zoysa was on Wednesday handed a six-year ban from all cricket after being found guilty of trying to fix matches and failing to disclose corrupt approaches from a suspected Indian bookie.
The ICC issued a statement on Wednesday saying the ban for Zoysa is backdated to Oct. 31, 2018, when the former test left-arm paceman was provisionally suspended.
“In his role as a national coach, he should have acted as a role model. Instead, he became involved with a corrupter and attempted to corrupt others,” Alex Marshall, ICC General Manager – Integrity Unit said in a release.
“Contriving to fix a game betrays the basis of sporting principles. It will not be tolerated in our sport.”
An independent anti-corruption tribunal last November found Zoysa guilty of breaching three counts that included failing to disclose full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in corrupt conduct under the code.
Article 2.1.1 – for being party to an agreement or effort to fix or contrive or otherwise influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or other aspect(s) of an International Match.
Article 2.1.4 – Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach Code Article 2.1.
Article 2.4.4 – Failing to disclose to the ACU full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in corrupt conduct under the Code.
The charges related to the T10 League in the United Arab Emirates in 2017 when Zoysa was a Sri Lanka bowling coach.
“Contriving to fix a game betrays the basis of sporting principles. It will not be tolerated in our sport,” Alex Marshall, general manager of the ICC’s integrity unit, said in a statement.
“Nuwan played 125 matches for Sri Lanka, attending a number of anti-corruption sessions during a decade-long international career.
“In his role as a national coach, he should have acted as a role model. Instead, he became involved with a corrupter and attempted to corrupt others.”
Zoysa, who will turn 43 next month, played 30 tests and 95 one-day internationals over a decade until 2007. He took 64 wickets in test matches and 108 wickets in ODIs.
Zoysa is the latest in a long line of Sri Lankan cricketers who have been banned by the ICC for corruption.
Earlier this month, former pacer Dilhara Lokuhettige was banned from all cricket for eight years after being found guilty of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.
In 2019, Sanath Jayasuriya was banned for failing to co-operate with an Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) investigation.
In 2016, former Sri Lanka offspinner Jayananda Warnaweera was suspended under the code.
