Lokuhettige suspended on fixing charges relating to UAE T10 League
AFP file dubai — The International Cricket Council (ICC) has provisionally suspended former Sri Lankan international Dilhara Lokuhettige for breaching the anti-corruption code relating to the T10 League played in the UAE last year.
A statement released by the ICC on Tuesday said that the cricket’s governing body was appointed by the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) as the Designated Anti-Corruption Official.
The UAE T10 League, sanctioned by the ECB, is set to be played again from Nov. 21 to Dec. 2 this year at the Sharjah Stadium. Lokuhettige has been charged for three counts of breaching the ECB Anti-Corruption Code.
The Sri Lankan has been charged for “being party to an effort to fix or contrive or to otherwise influence improperly the result, progress, conduct, or other aspect(s) of a Domestic Match.”
Lokuhettige also faces charges of directly soliciting, inducing, enticing or encouraging a player to breach Code Article 2.1.1.
The ICC, taking action on behalf of the ECB, have also accused him of failing to disclose full details of any approaches or invitations he received to engage in Corrupt Conduct under the Code. He has 14 days from Nov. 13, 2018 to respond to the charges. The ICC refused to make any further comment in respect of these charges.
Meanwhile, the organisers of the UAE T10 League have denied that Lokuhettige had any direct role to play with their tournament. “We hereby state that the charged person was neither an official nor a player or in any ways connected to the T10 League, which was held from Dec. 14 to 17 2017,” according to a statement released by the organisers within an hour of the official ICC press release announcing the action against the Sri Lankan cricketer. “We fully support and appreciate the efforts of ICC in their endeavour to keep the game of cricket clean including T10 League and all other leagues,” the UAE T10 organisers said.
“We have always worked and continue to work closely with the Anti-Corruption Unit of ICC to keep the T10 League clean.”
According to sources, Lokuhettige had tried to influence some of the players from Team Sri Lanka that was part of the inaugural UAE T10 League.