ZCZC
BSP-22
CRICKET-ICC-ZIM-WIS-IKOPE
Ex Zimbabwe cricket director banned over West Indies fix attempt
DUBAI, March 6, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Former Zimbabwe Cricket director Enock
Ikope has been banned from the game for 10 years for corruption linked to the
2017 West Indies tour fix attempt.
Ikope was found guilty of breaching three counts of the the International
Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption Code.
Ikope’s suspension announced by the ICC on Wednesday follows the 20 year
ban handed out to Rajan Nayer, a former senior Zimbabwe cricket official, in
March 2018.
Nayer, the treasurer and marketing director of the Harare Metropolitan
Cricket Association, admitted to offering Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer
US$30,000 to fix the result of the Test series with the West Indies, which
the visitors won.
Cremer informed then coach Heath Streak of the approach and the matter was
referred to the ICC.
The ICC in a statement said Ikope had failed and obstructed to cooperate
with its investigation, including the “deletion of data from his mobile phone
before handing it over to the ICC’s anti-corruption tribunal.
ICC general manager Alex Marshall said: “Non-cooperation and obstruction
of our investigations by participants to the Code are simply not acceptable
and I hope this and other recent sanctions sends out a clear message to
anyone involved in the sport.”
He added: “Once again we must thank an international captain, Graeme
Cremer, for his absolute professionalism in recognizing the initial approach
by Mr Nayer, rejecting and then reporting it.
“We are thankful to him and to Zimbabwe Cricket for all the help during
the investigations.”
BSS/AFP/BZC/1735HRS