Two UAE players charged with anti-corruption breaches

UAE cricketers Ashfaq Ahmed and Amir Hayat have been formally charged with five counts of breaching cricket’s anti-corruption code, and are suspended until further notice.

Ashfaq and Amir’s charges relate to articles 2.1 and 2.4 of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code, relating to agreeing or accepting bribes or other rewards to fix or contrive matches and failing to disclose information to the ACU.

Ashfaq was suspended by the Emirates Cricket Board after the T20 World Cup Qualifier last year, though no formal charges were laid at that point.

The pair have 14 days from 13 September 2020 to respond.

It’s been a tumultuous 12 months for cricket in UAE, with Mohammad Naveed, Shaiman Anwar and Qadeer Ahmed charged after a range of breaches in October last year. To compound matters further, wicketkeeper/batsman Ghulam Shabber fled the country, failing to attend a team meeting.

Ashfaq and Amir’s breaches as per the ICC’s media release today:

Article 2.1.3 – Seeking, accepting, offering or agreeing to accept any bribe or other Reward to: (a) fix or to contrive in any way or otherwise to influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any International Match; or (b) ensure for Betting or other corrupt purposes the occurrence of a particular incident in an International Match.

Article 2.4.2 – failing to disclose to the ACU (without unnecessary delay) the receipt of any gift, payment, hospitality or other benefit, (a) that the Participant knew or should have known was given to him/her to procure (directly or indirectly) any breach of the Anti-Corruption Code, or (b) that was made or given in circumstances that could bring the Participant or the sport of cricket into disrepute.

Article 2.4.3 – failing to disclose to the ACU (without unnecessary delay) all gifts (whether monetary or otherwise), hospitality and/or other non-contractual benefits offered to a Participant that have a value of US$750 or more, whether or not the circumstances set out in Article 2.4.2 are present, save that there shall be no obligation to disclose any (i) personal gifts, hospitality and/or other non-contractual benefits offered by or on behalf of any close friend or relative of the Participant, (ii) any food or beverage gifts or (iii) cricket hospitality gifts in connection with Matches the Participant is participating in.

Article 2.4.4 – failing to disclose to the ACU (without unnecessary delay) full details of any approaches or invitations received by the Participant to engage in Corrupt Conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code.

Article 2.4.5 – failing to disclose to the ACU full details of any facts or matters that came to his attention that may evidence Corrupt Conduct under the Code by another Participant.

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