Dubai: The organisers of upcoming T10 League will spare no efforts to ensure that the event is protected from any form of corruption following International Cricket Council (ICC) booking former Sri Lanka cricketer Dilhara Lokuhettige with three counts of breaching the Emirates Cricket Board’s (ECB) Anti-Corruption Code during the 2017 edition of this event.
The ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit monitored the tournament on behalf of ECB last year and Lokuhettige has now been provisionally suspended following their probe and given 13 days to respond to the charges.
The T10 League officials are delighted that their efforts to keep their event clean has borne fruit.
Speaking to Gulf News, Col. Arvinder Singh, chief operating officer of the T10 League, said: “Lokuhettige had tried to influence one of the players and the player reported it. In fact, Lokuhettige had nothing to do with the T10 league as he was neither a player nor an official of the event. The young player who was approached informed the team management and they reported the incident. ICC did its own investigation and have come out with some findings now.
“We fully support and appreciate the efforts of ICC in their endeavour to keep the game of cricket clean including T10 League and all other leagues though the charged person was not connected with our league which was held from December 14-17 last year.”
Singh then went on to reveal that for their oncoming edition. stronger measures are in place. “We have always worked and will continue to work closely with the ACU to keep the T10 League clean. For the coming edition, we will have one Anti-Corruption person with each team and will stay in the same hotel on the same floor of the team. Nobody else other than the team will be allowed to stay on the same floor. Only the players and the support staff of that particular team will stay on that floor,” said Singh, who carries with him the experience of being the former CEO of Kings XI Punjab and Gujarat Lions in the Indian Premier League.
“Unlike last year when it was only a four-day event, this time it is a 12-day event and hence we will have an ACU supervisor throughout the league with four managers from the ACU and eight individuals from the ACU for each of the teams.”
When Gulf News contacted the ECB, Zayed Abbas, the spokesperson and ECB board member, said: “It was an ICC process on behalf of T10 and ECB is involved as it falls under the ECB code of conduct.”
Singh then revealed that all arrangements to prevent corruption will commence early. “Each team will have Anti-Corruption lecture sessions. This will include even the physios as well and team owners. Any player who has to go outside or meet somebody or an event has to take permission. Anybody who is involved with the league, if he finds anything wrong, is bound to report it. We are making foolproof arrangements,” added Singh.
