ICC committed to stopping corruption: General Manager Alex Marshall

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday clarified that it is committed to acting against corruption. ICC released a statement after fresh claims of spot-fixing hit international cricket in a documentary released on Sunday.

A report on Al Jazeera channel's website stated that "the evidence, from 2011 and 2012, points to a small group of England players allegedly carrying out spot-fixes in seven matches; Australia players in five matches; Pakistan players in three, with players from other teams carrying out spot-fixes in one match.

ICC General Manager Alex Marshall in the statement said that the council has started an investigation about corruption allegations that have surfaced. 

The ICC has been seeking footage of the sting carried out by the channel since it was first aired earlier this year. However, it claims to have got no cooperation from the channel. 

Marshall also refuted all allegations that ICC is not taking the issue of corruption seriously. 

"I must refute the assertion that cricket does not take the issue of corruption seriously, we have more resources than ever before working to rid our sport of corruption," the statement said.

The channel's report further claimed that the matches in which fixes were allegedly carried out included an England-India encounter at Lord's Cricket Ground, a South Africa-Australia match in Cape Town and several games during England's series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The channel claimed that its dossier includes photographs of Mumbai-born Dubai based alleged match-fixer Aneel Munawar and his associates hovering near, and purportedly talking to, international cricket players during the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka in 2012.

Speaking about the allegations, Marshall asserted that investigation has already begun regarding the corruption claims. 

“The investigation into these allegations has already commenced and will run alongside a number of other live unrelated investigations," he said in the statement.

Marshall also urged people to contact ICC Anti-Corruption Unit if they have information regarding any ither corruption cases.

“We do welcome the commitment from the broadcaster to share the files with Interpol and, I hope, other law enforcement agencies who can act upon the information and support us in ridding the sport of these criminals,” the statement added.