Dubai: The Abu Dhabi T10 League will continue to work closely with the International Cricket Council (ICC) Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) to keep the league free of any corrupt activity.
The ICC ACU banned an Indian businessman Deepak Agarwal, who was proposed as a co-owner of the Sindhis team to the ICC for the 2018 edition of the T10 League, for two years on Wednesday from being part of any cricket activities.|
Speaking to Gulf News, Shaji Ul Mulk, chairman of the T10 League has revealed that the League’s ‘‘zero-tolerance approach’’ against corruption in cricket will continue and that anyone who has tried to taint the game will not be considered to be a part of this event.
“We have ensured that all three editions of the T10 league are free of any corrupt activity. This was possible because we sought clearance on all team owners from the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU). Agarwal could never have become the owner or for that matter, no one can function as an owner of our T10 League unless approved by the ICC. When we approached the ICC with his name for approval, they rejected him. On the same day of receiving the rejection, we immediately removed him from the team ownership before the start of the league. In our books and records, Agarwal was never a T10 team owner.”
Mulk also pointed out that T10 Leauge has a strict policy of adhering to ICC’s ACU approval in appointing anyone to function as part of the league. ‘“As part of our SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) and our close cooperation with ICC, we will continue to get the clearance from the ICC ACU to uphold the integrity of the game of cricket.”
Mulk said that Agarwal could not influence the activities of the T10 league. “Agarwal had nothing to do with the team or any activity within the T10 league as he was never approved to function as an owner without getting clearance from the ICC. In fact, the ICC has noted that the approaches he made were carried out in the past - much before he applied to become a co-owner in the T10 league.” Mulk added.
According to reports, Agarwal was found responsible for the ban of Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan who failed to report bookies’ approaches and he will not be permitted by the ICC to be involved in any form of cricket activities – both domestic as well as international- for two years.
