Match Betting: Mohammed Siraj Reports ‘Corrupt Approach’ To BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit
Team India and Royal Challengers Bangalore star pacer Mohammed Siraj Indian Premier League (IPL) has reported a “corrupt approach” to BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU). The matter has arisen during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Siraj was approached during the ODI series between India and Australia in March, just before IPL 2023 began, and promptly reported the matter to ACU officials.
Sources have reported that an unknown man, who is said to be a driver, sought inside information from Siraj on RCB for betting purposes. The BCCI has a strict code of conduct when it comes to corrupt approaches and if a player or an official fails to report a corrupt approach, he can be sanctioned as well.
The Anti-Corruption Code And BCCI’s Action After Siraj’s Reporting.
The BCCI’s anti-corruption code says that “It is acknowledged that the fight against corruption requires prompt reporting of all such approaches and any unnecessary delay in doing so may undermine the effectiveness with which the ACU BCCI and other relevant anti-corruption bodies can protect the integrity of the sport. It is acknowledged that the assessment of whether there had been an ‘unnecessary delay’ in each case will depend on its own circumstances, but it is always unacceptable (and will therefore constitute ‘unnecessary delay’) for a Participant to wait until after the match in respect of which he/she was invited to engage in Corrupt Conduct before reporting that approach to the ACU BCCI.”
A senior BCCI source privy to development opened up on conditions of anonymity and said that “It wasn’t a bookie who approached Siraj. It is a driver from Hyderabad who is addicted to betting on matches. He had lost huge money and approached Siraj for inside information. Siraj reported the approach immediately. The law enforcement authorities have nabbed the man. More details are being awaited.”
According to a report in the PTI, the unknown man wanted inside news about Siraj’s team after losing a lot of money in a previous IPL game. The India pacer got a call and promptly reported the matter to ACU officials.
Previous Instances Made ACU More Active
Ever since S Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila, all Rajasthan Royals bowlers at the time, were arrested on charges of spot-fixing, and former CSK official Gurunath Meiyappan was arrested for links to betting in May 2013, the BCCI has stepped up its anti-corruption drive.
There is a mandatory ACU workshop for players, and there are sanctions for those who fail to report a corrupt approach. Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan was suspended in 2021 because he didn’t report a corrupt approach during a tri-series in early 2018, as well as during his IPL stint later in 2019.
