By Charles Randall
3 April 2013
The ICC have re-affirmed their zero tolerance towards corruption, promising a co-ordinated approach to a problem that has "no geographical boundaries".
After a two-day anti-corruption workshop in Dubai the ICC issued a statement on 21 March, coinciding with an uncomfortable time for the ECB leading up to Danish Kaneria's appeal against a life ban. The ECB face embarrassment unless they can persuade Mervyn Westfield, disillusioned after his conviction and release from prison, to give evidence against the Pakistan leg-spinner at the postponed hearing in April.
Legal proceedings against the ECB could be brought by Kaneria's lawyers, claiming compensation for the delay after last December's appeal hearing was postponed for four months until 22 April this year. The ECB need evidence from Westfield to justify their ban imposed last June. Kaneria, a team-mate at Essex, always protested his innocence, and the ECB sanction was probably based on the judge's comments at the Old Bailey in January 2012 after Westfield, a Wanstead & Snaresbrook CC all-rounder, had pleaded guilty to corruptly accepting money. So prosecution evidence that seemed to implicate Kaneria indirectly was never heard and would remain inadmissible at the ECB disciplinary appeal.
The Dubai workshop, coordinated by the ICC Anti-Corruption and Security Unit, was attended by the heads of eight of the 10 Full Member anti-corruption units, by the Unit's chairman Sir Ronnie Flanagan and by general manager Yogendra Pal Singh.
Afterwards Pal Singh said the meeting was extremely useful. "Those individuals who are motivated to corrupt the sport of cricket know no geographical boundaries and only a coordinated approach at international and domestic level will achieve success in our ongoing fight to protect the integrity of the sport.
"With that in mind, positive discussions took place on how best to share information, address multi-jurisdictional threats, cooperate with one another in performing the necessary investigatory functions and ensure consistency of robust regulatory frameworks and effective education systems. There was great awareness amongst the group about the challenges the game is facing and different perspectives were shared on how to combat the menace of corruption."
He added: "With the commitment and positive approach shown by the participants, I am confident that cricket as a whole is heading in the right direction in our fight against corruption and I would like to thank all the participants for engaging in the workshop with great enthusiasm. The sport of cricket collectively has a zero-tolerance towards corruption and we will do everything we can to protect the integrity of our great sport."