Ahmed banned for breaching Corruption Code

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced that it has suspended Hong Kong all-rounder Irfan Ahmed for two years and six months after he admitted breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.

Ahmed was charged with offences under the Code and provisionally suspended by the ICC on 4 November 2015. This followed an investigation carried out by the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU), relating in part to the activities of another individual known to the ACU and suspected of making corrupt approaches to participants.

Whilst Ahmed was not charged with any offence involving corruption, the ACU established that he had failed to disclose to it full details of approaches or invitations to engage in corrupt conduct that had been made to him between January 2012 and January 2014.

During the investigation, Ahmed admitted that he was aware of his obligations under the Code and that his failure to report such approaches was a breach of the Anti-Corruption Code.

The ICC statement read: "Mr Ahmed was charged with offences under the code and provisionally suspended by the ICC on 4 November 2015.

"This followed an investigation carried out by the ICC's anti-corruption unit, relating in part to the activities of another individual known to the ACU and suspected of making corrupt approaches to participants.

"While Mr Ahmed was not charged with any offence involving corruption, the ACU established that he had failed to disclose to it full details of approaches or invitations to engage in corrupt conduct that had been made to him between January 2012 and January 2014.

"During the investigation, Mr Ahmed admitted that he was aware of his obligations under the code and that his failure to report such approaches was a breach of the anti-corruption code."

The ICC's ACU chairman, Ronnie Flanagan, said:  "This penalty should act as a reminder to all participants of the need to comply with their obligations under the code at all times, and in particular the requirement to report corrupt approaches to the ACU without any delay.

"It is pleasing to note that the investigation upon which these charges were founded originated from information that had been disclosed to the ACU.

"This is a clear and welcome demonstration that participants now more fully realise their own responsibilities in combating this scourge on the game through prompt and diligent reporting, as required by the code.

"However, it is also indicative of the worrying trend that those intent on corrupting the game are increasingly focusing their activities on associate member cricket – and that the sport therefore needs to ensure that it is appropriately resourced and protected in that area."

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