BOMBAY, 14 May 2004 — The Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) of the International Cricket Council met in Bombay as secretly as it usually operates during international matches. As such, not much details were available at the end of the meeting held earlier this week, except the fact that it was ICC that had scuttled the match between India and Pakistan scheduled to be held at Abu Dhabi this month.
The fear of largescale betting during this match forced the ICC to advise the cricket boards of the two countries not to let their players participate in the game that would have marked the commissioning of one more stadium in the United Arab Emirates. The venue at Sharjah has already made history by hosting close to 200 one-day internationals, more than any other ground anywhere in the world. Dubai too now has a cricket stadium. The latest one built by the Abu Dhabi Cricket Board is supposed to be a state-of-the-art stadium with all modern amenities.
In fitness of things, the organizers wanted the arch rivals, who are a big draw in those areas to be the first to play at the new stadium. The Abu Dhabi officials, however, went about the task of organizing the match in an improper manner. They directly approached the players from both countries with fabulous playing contracts. They ought to have approached the respective boards instead of the players. It wasn’t surprising then that the boards refused to allow the players to take part in the match. They were also informed by the ACU of ICC on the likelihood of the match degenerating into a high profile international betting proposition with result having no official bearing.
Whether the ACU has done the right thing in this regard, one is not sure. In fact, in most cases, the ACU has its responsibilities restricted because it cannot give itself any legal or judicial powers to act directly against the menace of big betting and match-fixing and bring the guilty to book. Actually their jurisdiction can be confined only to the players and that too through the respective cricket boards of the countries that these players represent. During big important series, like the one between India and Pakistan or events such as the ICC tournaments and the World Cup, the ACU seeks the cooperation of the law-enforcing agencies of the host countries. Without such support, it just cannot function. Even in this, the unit faces many difficulties. To cite just one example, during the recent Indian tour of Pakistan, the Anti-Corruption Unit had asked the Indian board to arrest a particular bookmaker in India so that he could be prevented from going to Pakistan. The Indian board showed its helplessness as every citizen of the country is governed by the law of the land. As such, no person can be arrested without valid grounds for such arrest.
The fact that former police chiefs are on the ACU does not give them any authority, say like the Interpol has. The ICC is a voluntary organization and has no legal sanction. It can only act against the players if they indulge in betting or match-fixing and that is because, the players come under the control of their countries’ cricket boards. It has no jurisdiction over the common citizens.
When the match-fixing controversy first broke out, it was the Delhi police that had done the investigation and had got all the shady details when a leading bookie spilled the beans on South African captain Hansie Cronje. The confessions of Hansie Cronje had led to life ban being imposed on several Indian and Pakistani players. Surprisingly enough, the Australians got away scot-free.
And it is this aspect of the ICC supervision of the menace that bugs other countries. The ICC’s unit keeps a closer watch whenever the Asian countries are involved in international matches. The dressing rooms come under virtual siege. Plainclothesmen keep a tag on movement of players and no one other than team members are allowed to mix with the cricketers. The Australian and English players are even allowed to go out to lay bets on the matches. That is because cricket betting is legal in those countries. If these players are stopped from laying a bet, they will surely move court for infringement of their rights. So, this is the grand paradox that exists. If the Anti Corruption Unit of the ICC has to make a show, it has to bring all their claptrap into play in countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates and Bangladesh. A match in Abu Dhabi can be stopped, but not the promotions in countries like Canada and Bermuda. For once, the cure seems to be worse than the malady.
