Corruption in Cricket : ICC bans Rizvan Javed for 17.5 years due to corruption charges

The corruption scandal surrounding the Abu Dhabi T10 League has reached a new nadir as UK-based club cricketer Rizvan Javed has been handed a ban of 17-and-a-half years for multiple breaches of the Emirates Cricket Board’s (ECB) Anti-corruption code for players.

Javed is one of eight individuals, including players and officials, who were charged in September 2023 for alleged corrupt activities during the 2021 edition of the tournament.

Earlier this year, Bangladesh cricketer Nasir Hossain was banned by the ICC for two years after admitting to breaching the Emirates Cricket Board’s anti-corruption code.

The ICC’s Code of Conduct Committee, investigating on behalf of the ECB, delivered the verdict after Javed’s consistent failure to respond to the charges against him.

Despite being given ample opportunity, Javed did not appeal the charges, leading to the committee’s decision, chaired by Michael J Beloff KC.

JAVED FACED SEVERAL CHARGES, INCLUDING:

• Article 2.1.1: Attempting to fix, contrive, or improperly influence matches or aspects of matches in the Abu Dhabi T10 2021 (on three separate occasions).
• Article 2.1.3: Offering rewards to another participant in exchange for engaging in corrupt conduct.
• Article 2.1.4: Soliciting, inducing, or facilitating any participant to breach the anti-corruption code (on three separate occasions).
• Article 2.4.4: Failing to disclose full details of any corrupt approaches received.
• Article 2.4.6: Failing or refusing, without justification, to cooperate with any corruption investigation.

Javed was provisionally suspended on September 19, 2023, when the charges were first brought against him, and the ban will be backdated from that date.

This punishment underscores the ICC’s commitment to eradicate corruption from cricket.

Alex Marshall, ICC’s General Manager Integrity, emphasized the severity of Javed’s actions and hoped that this sanction would serve as a deterrent to other potential corruptors, reinforcing the message that any attempt to corrupt cricket will face severe consequences.