Heath Streak, former Zimbabwe Cricket captain gets 8 YEARS BAN for corruption, Gave inside information ‘for betting purposes’

Former Zimbabwe cricket captain and coach Heath Streak has been banned from all cricket for eight years after he accepted five charges of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.

Streak, 47, accepted five charges and his punishment with the ICC in lieu of an anti-corruption tribunal hearing. He has been barred for any involvement in the sport until March 2029.

The former fast bowler has been under ICC investigation over an extensive list of international and Twenty20 league matches during his post-playing career as a coach, including for Zimbabwe between 2016 and 2018.

Streak passed on information on matches and contacts details of players, including one national team captain.

In return, he received two Bitcoins and an iPhone for his wife.

Streak, a former pace bowler, is Zimbabwe’s all-time leading wicket-taker and once took 6-87 in a Test against England to earn a place on the Lord’s honours board.

He also had spells in county cricket with Warwickshire and Hampshire.

The ICC found that he disclosed information likely to be used for betting on matches in the 2018 tri-series involving Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the 2018 Indian Premier League and 2018 Afghanistan Premier League.

He also facilitated introductions to four players, failed to disclose the gifts and payments he received, and the approaches to engage in corrupt activity.

The ICC also said Streak attempted to disrupt its investigation by colluding with Mr X – who had also been interviewed – and deleting phone messages.

“Heath Streak is an experienced former international cricketer and national team coach, who had participated in numerous anti-corruption education sessions and was fully aware of his responsibilities under the Code,” said Alex Marshall, the general manager of the ICC’s integrity unit.

“As a former captain and coach, he held a position of trust and owed a duty to uphold the integrity of the game. He breached the Code on several occasions, including facilitating the approach of four other players. At times, he also sought to obstruct and delay our investigation.

“The offences did not affect the outcomes of any relevant matches and Mr Streak has agreed to assist the ICC anti-corruption education programme for which we are grateful.

“He has also expressed his remorse and contrition and entered this agreed sanction decision to avoid the need for a full disciplinary process. The sanction reflects this cooperation.”

Streak is understood to have facilitated access for a corrupter to people at teams where he worked as a coach.

He initially denied the allegations but subsequently accepted his guilt and the ban.

The ICC charged Streak with the following breaches of the anti-corruption code:

• Article 2.3.2 – disclosing inside information under both the ICC Code and various domestic codes, in circumstances where he knew or should have known that such information may be used for betting purposes. In particular, he disclosed inside information in relation to matches in the 2018 Tri-Series involving Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the Zimbabwe v Afghanistan series in 2018, the IPL 2018 and the APL 2018.
• Article 2.3.3 – directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any participant to breach the code. In particular, he facilitated or attempted to facilitate the introduction of four different players, including a national captain, to someone he knew, or should have known, may have wanted to approach them to provide inside information for betting purposes.
• Article 2.4.2 – Failing to disclose the receipt of any gift, payment, hospitality or other benefit that the participant knew or should have known was given to them to procure a breach of the code or that was made or given in circumstances that could bring the participant or the sport of cricket into disrepute.
• 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 including in relation to international matches, matches in the 2017 BPL, the 2018 Pakistan Super League, the 2018 IPL and the 2018 APL.
• Article 2.4.7 – obstructing or delaying an investigation, including concealing, tampering with or destroying any documentation or other information that may be relevant to that investigation and / or that may be evidence of or may lead to the discovery of evidence of corrupt conduct under the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.

bbc, agencies