ICC news

Lorgat calls for legalising betting in the subcontinent

Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, has said legalising betting in the subcontinent would make it easier to fight corruption and suggested having an independent review to come up with ways to improve the way the ICC currently combats the problem.

"If the industry was regulated you could actually work with them, monitor them better and everything would be legal so there is reason to go underground," Lorgat told the Times of India. So our view is if it was to be regulated it would make the fight against corruption much easier for us."

Lorgat's comments came a day after the Southwark Crown Court in London set an October 4 start date for the spot-fixing trial. Pakistani players Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, and the player-agent Mazhar Majeed are facing charges of conspiracy to cheat, and conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments, following the Lord's Test last August in which they allegedly conspired to bowl pre-determined no-balls.

The ICC is in the midst of conducting an external review of its anti-corruption and security unit to determine what they have learned over the last decade, but Lorgat said it might also be a good idea to get a fresh perspective on how to deal with corruption from an independent panel to help avoid a repeat of a repeat of what happened at Lord's.

"One of the suggestions being mooted, is the concept of a mystery shopper," Lorgat said. "Meaning that we may well have people posing as a bookmaker, and approaching players to see if they report back to the anti-corruption and security unit, which is an obligation they have got."

Although FICA, the players association, has already condemned the idea, Lorgat was optimistic the ICC could sit down with players and the association and figure out which recommendations could be implemented.

"I'm confident that the majority of players are honest and play the game in the right spirit and they would have no reservations in supporting such a move."