Alex Marshall will retire from the role as ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit’s Head. (Reuters)
The Head of the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit has warned the lower-level T20 Leagues of the threat of corruption that surrounds them.
As the world continues to see the rise of franchise leagues worldwide, the head of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Anti-Corruption Unit has warned the lower-level leagues of the threat of corruption that looms around the cricketing nations.
Alex Marshall, who currently holds the position, has decided to retire after seven years. As he prepares to exit, he said that badly run franchise leagues in the lower levels could pose a threat towards the game.
“I am confident that the cricket you watch is safe and clean. But I am also absolutely sure that corruptors are constantly looking for a route into the game, particularly in badly run lower-level franchise leagues. The threat to the game is corruptors won’t go away while there is always money to be made and they will look for weakness in the system to get in,” said Marshall as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.
During Marshall’s stint, he has been part of the ACU’s investigations in Sri Lanka following which the nation was amongst the first in South Asia to criminalise match-fixing related offences.
His department also charged the likes of Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan and the late Heath Streak for which both players accepted their offences. Shakib had failed to report to the authorities regarding three approaches made by corruptors while Streak admitted to five breaches in the ICC Anti-Corruption Code which included accepting bitcoin from a possible corruptor.
As he prepares to exit the ACU, Marshall has once again warned those involved in admin and governance-related roles to be aware of the threat of corruption, with an emphasis on the lower-level T20 leagues.
In modern cricket, Marshall believes that players are more open to trusting the authorities and are in touch on a more frequent basis where they report any approaches made to them coupled with making sure that they are more equipped to ensure that the sport is not marred by corruption.
“I am proud of the significant increase in trust from players who now report approaches to us frequently whereas there was a time when they lacked confidence in confidentiality and the action that will be taken,” Marshall commented.
“They have now seen corruptors being disrupted, named, and banned when they get involved in cricket. And the education we now do with players shows them who the corruptors are, what their methods are, so everyone is much better equipped and protected to keep corruption away from the game,” he added.
