Former Sri Lanka players Avishka Gunawardana and Nuwan Zoysa have termed International Cricket Council (ICC) Anti corruption unit charges fabricated and without merit, while stating that both they have not involved in any sort of wrongdoings!
Earlier in the day, the ICC charged both the players under the Emirates Cricket Board anti corruption code.
“Both Avishka Gunawardene and Nuwan Zoysa have made a LIMITED COMMENT that these charges are false, completely fabricated and without merit. They will be strenuously challenged in the appropriate legal forum. Both the players will also issue a detailed statement shortly and a full PRESS BRIEFING will follow” Avishka’s Counsel Chrishmal Warnasuriya said in a statement.
The charges relate to the T10 Cricket League played in the UAE in December 2017. The ICC was appointed by the ECB as the Designated Anti-Corruption Official for the purposes of the ECB’s Code for this tournament and as such are issuing these charges on the ECB’s behalf.
The charges follow a recent amnesty to participants who had previously failed to report any information concerning corrupt conduct in Sri Lankan cricket.
The two former Sri Lanka players have been charged with the following offences under the Code:
Mr Nuwan Zoysa:
Article 2.1.1 – for being party to an agreement to influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or other aspect(s) of a match.
Article 2.1.4 – Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach Code Article 2.1.
Article 2.4.4 – Failing to disclose to the ACU full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in corrupt conduct under the Code.
Article 2.4.6 – Failing or refusing, without compelling justification to cooperate with any investigation carried out by the ACU in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Code
Mr Zoysa is already suspended as a result of being charged with three breaches of the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Code in November last year, these charges are pending determination.
That provisional suspension remains in full force and effect and Mr Zoysa has additionally been provisionally suspended under the ECB Code pending the determination of these new charges.
Mr Avishka Gunawardene:
Article 2.1.4 – Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach Code Article 2.1.
Article 2.4.5 – Failing to disclose to the ACU (without unnecessary delay) full details of any incident, fact, or matter that comes to the attention of a Participant that may evidence Corrupt Conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code by another Participant.
Mr Gunawardene has also been provisionally suspended under the ECB Code pending the determination of these charges.
Mr Zoysa and Mr Gunawardene have 14 days from 9 May 2019 to respond to the charges. The ICC will not make any further comment in respect of these charges at this stage.
The media release issued after Mr Zoysa’s earlier charges can be found here.
