SA inquiry report on match-fixing to be published on June 30

SA inquiry report on match-fixing to be published on June 30
AGENCIES

JOHANNESBURG, MAY 5: South African judge, Justice Edwin King, is to head the inquiry into the Hansie Cronje affair which will start hearing evidence on Monday.

Ngconde Balfour, the Minister of Sport and Recreation, said at a news conference on Thursday: ``The commission will have a life span of one month and will publish a report on June 30 detailing its investigation into this matter.''

Cronje was sacked as South Africa's captain last month after admitting he had accepted money from an Indian bookmaker during a One-Day series with Zimbabwe and England in South Africa last January.

The inquiry commission will be based at the Ministry of Justice offices in Pretoria.

Penuell Maduna, the Minister of Justice, confirmed that the commission would have no powers to hand out any punishment and that its findings would be presented to president Thabo Mbeki and the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Maduna confirmed that any subsequent decisions will ``flow from the findings of the report''.

He added it was his wish for the hearings, which will be under oath, to be made public.

``But Judge King will have the discretion as to what should be in camera.''

Judge King will be assisted by Shamila Batohi.

Batohi, the deputy director of public prosecutions Inkwazulu-Natal, will head the gathering of leading evidence.

``The two will be the face of the commission, which may include another three people. But it will not be larger than five people,'' said Minister Balfour.

``Our intention is to make this commission as lean and mean as possible. The whole image of South African sport has been tarnished.

``These events have cast a shadow of doubt on the performances of South African athletes internationally.''

Percy Sonn, president of the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA), confirmed there would be no amnesty for guilty South African players or officials who give evidence .

``As far as we are concerned, if they are guilty then they must be punished,'' said Sonn.

The terms of reference for the commission will range from November 1, 1999 to April 7, 2000.

``Should the commission find it necessary to investigate the period before November 1, 1999, then these terms of reference will be amended,'' Balfour said.

ACB to appoint investigator

MELBOURNE: The Australian Cricket Board has said it will appoint an independent investigator to examine allegations of bribery or match-fixing.

The decision came on Thursday in the wake of the International Cricket Council meet in London earlier this week.

An ACB spokesman said the Australian special investigator would be appointed within two to three weeks. Several candidates were being considered but no names would be made public until the appointment was made, he said.

ACB also announced that Australian players and officials would have to sign a written undertaking before every international match declaring they were free from any influence of gambling.

ACB chief executive Malcolm Speed on Friday said his board would call for a unilateral conference with administrators of other professional sports to discuss corruption.

Steve Waugh prefers quality

SYDNEY: Australia cricket captain Steve Waugh called on Friday for a reduction in One-Day Internationals to help stamp out corruption in the game.

Waugh said the increasing number of limited overs games had partly contributed to the match-fixing scandal that has swamped the sport.

``As cricketers you want to play for your country and you want to play every game that is possible,'' he said.

``But perhaps there are some tournaments which probably don't mean a lot and I think they can be dangerous.

``That's probably where some of the problems have occurred in the past.''

Waugh said he had sometimes wondered about the commitment of some of his opponents but had never had any proof they were not trying.

``Everyone has had suspicions over the years about certain games,'' he said.

``There has probably been one or two games that I've played where you think maybe things weren't quite right in that game''.

``You never really can put your finger on it or make a complete statement knowing whether you are right or not. But there have been occasions where you think something has gone on a bit funny.''

Malik denies rumours

KARACHI: Pakistan's former cricket captain Salim Malik said on Friday he was ready to face any inquiry on match-fixing and rejected reports he was planning to quit the country for good.

``I am in Pakistan and will remain in Pakistan until all the inquiries clear me," Malik said from Lahore.

Malik, the central character in Pakistan's match-fixing controversy, is one of two players who face a life ban from the game.

Malik Mohammad Qayyum, a judge of the Lahore High Court, who headed a judicial probe into bribery and match fixing allegations in Pakistan cricket, reportedly said his recommendations after a year-long inquiry included a life ban on Malik and leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed.

``I went to England for personal work but my detractors were again quick to drag my name into wrong things,'' Malik said.