Contriving to fix T20 match – Tsotsobe gets eight-year ban

CRICKET SOUTH AFRICA has banned former Proteas and Highveld Lions player Lonwabo Tsotsobe for several breaches of its Anti-Corruption Code relating to match-fixing. Tsotsobe, who has admitted contraventions of the Code, has been banned for eight years.

The banning follows a lengthy and detailed investigation and the previous imposition by CSA in January 2016 of a 20-year ban on former Proteas, Lions and Titans player Gulam Bodi after Bodi had admitted charges of contriving or attempting to fix matches in the 2015 Ram Slam T20 Challenge Series. Five other players (Jean Symes, Ethy Mbhalati, Pumelela Matshikwe, Thami Tsolekile and Alviro Petersen) have since admitted contraventions of the Code and have been banned for periods ranging from two to 12 years.

Tsotsobe has admitted one charge of contriving to fix a match in the 2015 competition, as well as others relating to illegal approaches to become involved in match-fixing. Commenting in response to the ban, Tsotsobe said, “I wish to apologise to cricket-lovers all over the world. I was, at the time, in a very vulnerable financial state and this dilemma too easily persuaded me to participate in spot fixing. There are no words to describe the regret I have in relation to my actions and I hope that the cricket world could consider my apology and understand my deepest feeling of remorse.”