ICC T20 World Cup 2024: Uganda player approached by former Kenya player to fix matches – Reports

Uganda’s only win at ICC T20 World Cup 2024 came against Papua New Guinea.

If reports are to be true then a Uganda player has complained to the ICC anti-corruption unit of an approach by a former Kenyan cricketer to fix matches at the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

Uganda’s T20 World Cup campaign ended on Friday in Trinidad, with a spectacular triumph over Papua New Guinea and losses to Afghanistan, New Zealand, and the West Indies. Uganda, who entered the competition for the first time alongside Canada and co-hosts the United States of America, played three of their four league games in Guyana.

As per the report by PTI, the incident occurred during the league stage matches in Guyana, when a former Kenya pacer attempted to contact a Ugandan squad member several times using several phone numbers.

Following the ICC’s stringent anti-corruption protocol, the Ugandan player reported the approach to ACU authorities on the spot. The development caused officials to issue a red flag against the former Kenyan player, warning all affiliate teams about him.

“It is not a surprise that this person targeted a player from the Ugandan national team. Associate nations, as compared to the big teams, are soft targets for corruption but in this case, the player who was approached did the needful by informing the ICC at the earliest,” a source told PTI.

Failure to report a corrupt approach violates the ICC’s anti-corruption rules. The additional offenses include match-fixing, betting on the game, misusing inside information, and refusing to cooperate with an inquiry.

“Players are approached all the time”- Report

After June 1, the ICC tweaked its anti-corruption code to empower the governing body and its member boards to “proactively and thoroughly investigate incidents of corruption in the ongoing effort to protect the integrity of the game.”

The anti-corruption code applies to all participants in cricket (international or domestic) played under the auspices of the ICC and its members, including players, coaches, trainers, managers, selectors, team owners or officials, doctors, physiotherapists, match referees, pitch curators, player agents, umpires, and ICC and NCF officials.

Participants are obligated by the code for two years following their last participation in any kind of official cricket.

“Players are approached all the time, more so from smaller nations. In bigger events like the T20 World Cup, there is more scrutiny and if an approach is conveyed to the ICC ACU, then the due protocol is followed and a proper investigation is conducted,” said another source.

All foreign players receive frequent briefings on potential threats and are familiar with the anti-corruption policy. Corrupt practices at large-scale events are not new.

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