Can deliver 10 serial match-fixing offenders’ names to Indian government, reveals Steven Richardson
ICC coordinator for investigations Steven Richardson has stated that legislation for match-fixing would be a ‘gamechanger’ to protect the sport. Richardson has further added that he can deliver at least 10 serial match-fixing offenders’ names to the Indian government and Indian police.
Although betting remains illegal in India, the country continues to be the nexus of the betting world, with many Indian mafias being involved in match-fixing. Recently Sanjeev Chawla, the culprit in the Hansie Cronje case, admitted that a big chain controls the cricketing world and most of the 90s games are fixed. In view of that, during an online symposium organised by the Sports Law and Policy Centre, Richardson stated that the lack of legislation proved to be a deterrent as the governing body fails to have control over the players and not the actual criminal syndicate.
“From the ICC perspective, we have a robust anti-corruption system that allows us to take action against players. As much as I do not see the players as the main problem when it comes to match-fixing, the players are the final link in the chain, who actually would go out onto the pitch and perform any act if they had agreed to do so,” he elaborated. “The problem as I see is in handling the people who are organising the corruption, the people who are paying the players money, and most of them sit outside the sport.”
With the view that most of the bookies are from India, Richarson stated that he can deliver to the Indian police or the Indian government now at least eight names of people who are serial offenders. He further shared his sympathy with Indian police for staying professional in their approach.
“I could actually deliver to the Indian police or the Indian government now at least eight names of people who are serial offenders and who are constantly approaching players to try and get them to fix matches. But when there is a lack of legislative framework in India, it's very limited to what the police can do. I have great sympathy for them because they try as professionally and hard as they can to actually make the existing legislation work. But the reality is, it wasn't framed with sports corruption in mind. So there is an imperative need for legislation specific to match-fixing,” he said.