Skipper Mohammed Naveed among three UAE players charged with corruption

Image Credits: ICC official website

Three players of United Arab Emirates (UAE) and a participant from Ajman have been provisionally suspended after the International Cricket Council (ICC) Anti-Corruption Tribunal found them guilty of breaching its Anti-Corruption Code.

"Three UAE players and a participant in cricket from Ajman have been charged with 13 counts of breaching cricket’s anti-corruption rules and the players have been provisionally suspended with immediate effect," the ICC press release stated. 

UAE skipper Mohammed Naveed has been charged of violating two ICC anti-corruption rules pertaining to the upcoming ICC World T20 Qualifiers 2019.

The first charge relates to "contriving, or being party to an agreement or effort to fix or contrive or otherwise influence improperly, the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of matches in the upcoming ICC World T20 Qualifiers 2019".

He also breached Article 2.4.4 of the ICC's anti-corruption code, which relates to "failing to disclose to the ACU full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in conduct in relation to the ICC World T20 Qualifiers 2019 that would amount to corrupt conduct under the Code."

Naveed has also been charged with a further two breaches of the Emirates Cricket Board Code for the T10 League. 

Meanwhile, Qadeer Ahmed Khan has been charged with six breaches of the ICC Code which are as follows:

Breach of Article 2.4.4 – failing to disclose to the ACU full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in conduct that would amount to Corrupt Conduct under the Code in relation to the Zimbabwe v UAE series in April 2019.

Breach of Article 2.3.2 – disclosing Inside Information to Mehar Chhayakar in August 2019 in circumstances where he knew or should have known that the information might be used for betting purposes.

Breach of Article 2.4.4 – failing to disclose to the ACU full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in conduct that would amount to Corrupt Conduct under the Code in relation to the Netherlands v UAE series in August 2019.

Breach of Article 2.4.5 – failing to disclose to the ACU full details of any facts or matters that came to his attention that may evidence Corrupt Conduct under the Code by another Participant.

Breach of Article 2.4.6 – failing or refusing to cooperate with an investigation being carried out by the ACU in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Code. 

Breach of Article 2.4.7 – obstructing or delaying an ACU investigation including by concealing information that may be relevant to that investigation. 

Shaiman Anwar Butt, on the other hand, has been charged with breach of Article 2.1.1 pertaining to the upcoming ICC World T20 Qualifiers 2019 as well as breach of Article 2.4.4.

Mehardeep Chhayakar, who has participated in cricket in Ajman, has been charged with the breach of Article 2.4.6, which relates to "failing or refusing to cooperate with an investigation being carried out by the ACU in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Code."

The players have been given 14 days to respond to the charges.