Haroon Lorgat thinks that it is better to regulate betting than keeping it illegal
Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, has expressed confidence of staging a corruption-free World Cup, especially after the anti-corruption tribunal’s verdict that banned three Pakistan players on charges of spot-fixing.
“I am confident for two reasons,” Lorgat told the National. “The main one is that the vast majority of players are honest players. They do play the game in the spirit that it should be played. They are not seeking to make gains out of untoward means.
“Secondly, we are alive to what could come to the fore in terms of corruption. We have measures in place, and people forget we had been tracking this long before the News of the World had broken the story.
Lorgat said the ICC was having discussions at appropriate levels about whether gambling could be legalised on the sub-continent, where cricket has long been under the spectre of illegal bookies and betting. “I agree with the notion that if it is regulated, it is a lot better than if it is not regulated. We have made inquiries, and these are the things we are working towards.”
Since the spot-fixing scandal broke last year, Lorgat said, the ICC had increased its anti-corruption staff, and were now “more vigilant around leads we pick up.”
Lorgat has said that the punishments handed out were severe enough, and he felt that they would deter players in future. “I think it would take someone very brave not to take heed of what has happened.
“In legal terms, you have to be proportionate when you mete out punishment. We must distinguish between match-fixing and spot-fixing. This is a very experienced group of judges. They have enormous experience and expertise, and they are independent. They have applied their minds and decided on what is a proportionate sanction.” (cricinfo)
