ICC conclude Al Jazeera cricket fixing allegations lack "credible evidence"

JOSH STACEY: Integrity general manager Alex Marshall adds there are "fundamental weaknesses in each of the areas we have investigated" following the 2018 documentary

The International Cricket Council has concluded its investigation into the allegations made by Al Jazeera regarding spot-fixing in international cricket and found no evidence of any wrongdoing.

The Cricket’s Match Fixers programme claimed passages of play during India v England in Chennai in 2016 and India v Australia in Ranchi in 2017 had been manufactured.

Additionally, the stadium manager at Galle was said to have doctored the pitch at the behest of fixers.

The governing body enlisted four independent betting and cricketing specialists to analyse the claims. All individuals involved concluded the incidents were "entirely predictable and therefore implausible as a fix".

Those featured in the documentary were interviewed by the ICC integrity unit but there was insufficient evidence to charge the accused.

ICC general manager of integrity Alex Marshall has suggested that the matter has been put to bed and would not be reviewed unless new information comes to light.

Marshall said: "We welcome the reporting of alleged corrupt activity within cricket as there is no place for such conduct in our sport, but we also need to be satisfied there is sufficient evidence to sustain charges against participants. 

"In the case of the claims aired in this programme, there are fundamental weaknesses in each of the areas we have investigated that make the claims unlikely and lacking in credibility, a viewpoint that has been corroborated by four independent experts.

"On the basis of the programme, the participants to the code who were filmed appear to have behaved in a questionable manner, however, we have been unable to assess the full context of the conversations that took place beyond what was seen on screen versus what the participants claim actually happened.

"This combined with the absence of any other credible evidence means there are insufficient grounds to bring charges under the ICC Anti-Corruption Code

"Should any new substantial evidence come to light I will re-examine the case. But at present, I am comfortable with the conclusion of the investigation and the thoroughness with which it was undertaken."

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