Woolmer was strangled, says Jamaican police

Kingston, Jamaica: Jamaican police launched a murder inquiry on Thursday into the death of Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer at the World Cup, saying he was strangled.

The sport's governing body said the World Cup would continue despite the shock of Woolmer's murder which has completely overshadowed the seven-week tournament being played in the Caribbean for the first time.

The death on Sunday was "due to asphyxia as a result of manual strangulation", according to a police statement read to a news conference at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston where Woolmer was found unconscious before he died on Sunday.

"Bob was a large man - it would have taken some force," deputy commissioner Mark Shields said. "Hopefully we will bring the killers to justice as soon as possible. We will use every energy we possibly have to track down the killers."

Shields said there could be one or more people involved in the actual killing but added that there was no evidence of forced entry into his hotel room.

The police have seized the hotel's electronic security recordings as part of the investigation and are still awaiting results of toxicology and histology (science of examining body tissue) tests.

A day before the 58-year-old Briton died, leading contenders Pakistan were eliminated from the World Cup by debutants Ireland in a result which stunned cricket.

There was growing media speculation on Thursday that Woolmer had fallen victim to a "betting mafia".

Asked about these suggestions, Shields said: "Everything you have heard would be a line of inquiry." He said no stone would be unturned into discovering why Woolmer was murdered.

It was known that he was writing a book at the time of his death but its contents were unknown.

A prominent Indian television channel had reported that Woolmer had met the Delhi police official who was enquiring into the betting scandal involving the South African team during their earlier tour to India.

The television channel in its report on Thursday speculated that the Pakistani coach may have met the official to gather some information to be included in his forthcoming book.

It has been reported that Woolmer was keen to return to Pakistan after the World Cup debacle, to complete work on his book.

Pakistan team media manager Pervez Jamil Mir, had told reporters on Thursday that the security at the hotel was too "lax" in his opinion.

World Cup to continue

International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Malcolm Speed said: "We face shock and outrage and great sadness for Bob's family. There has been speculation that as a result of all this, the World Cup will be discontinued. That will not be the case.

"Perhaps it will be a measure of the game and its resolve as to how we can complete this World Cup in view of this shock."

He said the former London Metropolitan Police commissioner Paul Condon was standing by and willing to assist with the murder inquiry. Condon has been involved with helping the ICC fight corruption within the sport.

Shields added that the Metropolitan Police, South African and Pakistan forces had been contacted over the investigation but so far the Jamaican police were working solely on the case.

Team fingerprinted

The Pakistan cricket team, who flew from Kingston to Montego Bay within Jamaica earlier on Thursday, said they were shocked by the latest development.

The team had been interviewed and fingerprinted before leaving for the resort in Montego Bay, reports said.

"Tragic, yes, worrying yes, because we have a member of our team, a national coach of Pakistan who has been murdered and this is not something which can be taken lightly," Mir told reporters.

Mir said the players were shocked by the news Woolmer had been killed. "I've spoken to the chairman and he's totally devastated. He can't believe it. He's very, very distressed. The team is distressed. Everybody is absolutely in a state of shock," he said.

Highest civilian honour

On Thursday, Pakistani officials had said Woolmer was being honoured with the country's highest civilian award. President Perevez Musharaff conveyed the decision to Gill Woolmer, the widow of the coach, in a condolence letter he sent tpo her, an official said. "In recognition of his valuable contribution the government of Pakistan has decided to honour Mr Bob Woolmer with the civil award of star of distinction, " Musharaff said.

On Wednesday, the Pakistani team held a commemorative cremony for Woolmer in their Kingston hotel. They had also dedicated their victory over Zimbabwe in their last group match to their coach's memory.

"Indeed the last three or four days were very difficult for us, and we were under a lot of stress. We are delighted now that we came out, and we got a win to dedicate to him," said Pakistani captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, who announced his retirement from limited overs internationals as well as stepping down from his post as Pakistani skipper.

The ICC has taken the correct decision to continue the World Cup. As for the Woolmer murder investigation, it should be completed as quickly as possible and the mind behind this should be punished.
Bilal
Abu Dhabi,UAE

They should stop the World Cup right away. By not doing so I think they are showing the true face of 'naked Capitalism', nothing esle. Show some humanity please. Have a heart, ICC!
F. Ahmed
Dubai,UAE

They should stop the World Cup games now; to continue now shows that the ICC has no respect for life, especially because someone has been murdered. The cricket world has lost not only a very good man, but has also lost its face.
John
Amsterdam,The Netherlands