Legendary cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya charged under ICC's anti-corruption code

Jayasuriya has been allotted a period of 15 days, starting October 15 for providing a response.

Image Credits: Reuters

Sri Lankan legend Sanath Jayasuriya has been charged with two counts of breaching the International Cricket Council (ICC)'s Anti-Corruption Code. He has been further allotted a period of 15 days, starting October 15 for providing a response. 

A press release by the ICC on Monday stated that the 49-year-old had been charged under article 2.4.6 and 2.4.7 of the ICC's Anti-Corruption Code.

Under article 2.4.6, Jayasuriya stands guilty of refusing or failing to cooperate with investigations carried out by the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) despite lacking any compelling justification or reasoning.  Not only this, the candidate is also guilty of failing to provide any information/documentation requested by the ACU during its investigations. 

BREAKING: Sanath Jayasuriya has been charged with two counts of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.

Full details: https://t.co/O4kTg0b1j2 pic.twitter.com/1bJsTg9WTP — ICC (@ICC) October 15, 2018

On the other hand, article 2.4.7 accuses Jayasuriya of attempting to delay or obstruct the ACU's investigations through tampering, concealing or even destruction of documents or vital information considered relevant, capable of revealing evidence of corrupt conduct as per the Anti-Corruption Code. 

A source in Sri Lanka Cricket told PTI that the former player is in the line of fire for "trying to block" an ICC probe which began in 2015. The investigation into Sri Lankan cricket began after Galle curator Jayananda Warnaweera was banned for three years in 2016 for failing to cooperate with the ACU.

One of Sri Lanka's greatest cricketers, the 49-year-old was one of the stars in the 1996 World Cup, which is Sri Lanka's first and only World Cup trophy with his Test career lasting over a decade.

"At first, he refused to join the probe when the ACU investigations' team approached him last year. He also declined a request to part with the information in his phone, which was relevant to the investigators," the SLC source said. 

"But the ICC has not charged him with either match-fixing or any corrupt activities. The only charge against him is non-cooperation in the probe," he added. 

After retiring from international cricket, he also tried his hands at politics and in 2010 became an elected member of the Sri Lankan parliament, a stint which ended in 2015. He also served as a minister. 

In 2013, he became Sri Lanka Cricket's chairman of selectors. His tenure ended last year after a string of failures by the Lankan team. 

(With inputs from PTI)