Jayasuriya says no charges on match or pitch fixing, will respond to ICC in due course

Sanath Jayasuriya who has been charged under the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Code, says that his legal team is in the process of drafting his response to the ICC.  

The International Cricket Council has charged Jayasuriya with two counts of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code--the failure or refusal to cooperate with the ongoing investigations and obstructing or delaying any investigation that may be carried out by the ACU, including concealing, tampering with or destroying any documentation or other information.

Jayasuriya has to respond to the ICC before Oct. 31 and depending on his response the ICC will decide the next course of action.

Jayasuriya is likely to get a suspension of six months to five years if he pleads guilty for the first charge while the second count carries a suspension of zero to five years. If he doesn’t plead guilty, ICC will hear the case.

Jayasuriya has not been provisionally suspended and the charge has nothing to do with match fixing or spot fixing but his refusal to cooperate with investigations.

“Unfortunately, I am not in a position to release any comments at this moment as I am initially required to submit my response within 14 days. I am under strict legal advise that no comment is to be made in respect of the above charges as such a course would offend the ICC Rules,” Jayasuriya said in a statement.

“My legal team is in the process of drafting my response and I would make a further release upon the submission of the said response. 

“However, I am under advise to state that the above charges do not contain any allegations pertaining to match fixing, pitch fixing or any other similar corrupt activity. The charges allege that I have not been cooperative and not assisted their investigations,” the letter said.

He says he has always conducted himself with integrity and transparency with matters concerning the sport and he will continue to do so. 

The Anti-Corruption officer were here in Sri Lanka during the last couple of weeks investigating what they termed as "serious allegations of corruption" in Sri Lanka. They also met country's President, Prime Minister and the Sports Minister and had briefed them on the ongoing investigations .

Jayasruiya responds to ICC charge 

I am in receipt of a letter dated 15th of October 2018 signed by Iain Higgins, General Counsel of the Anti Corruption Unit (ACU) of the International Cricket Council (ICC). The said letter contains the following charges against me purportedly based on a finding made by the ICC Anti corruption Committee;  

Article 2.4.6 – Failure or refusal, without compelling justification, to cooperate with any investigation carried out by the ACU, including failure to provide accurately and completely any information and/or documentation requested by the ACU as part of such investigation.

Article 2.4.7 – Obstructing or delaying any investigation that may be carried out by the ACU, including concealing, tampering with or destroying any documentation or other information that may be relevant to that investigation and/or that may be evidence or may lead to the discovery of evidence of corrupt conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code.

The the contents of the above letter which has been released to the media has caused a lot of speculation among the cricket loving public both domestically and internationally. 

Unfortunately, I am not in a position to release any comments at this moment as I am initially required to submit my response within 14 days. I am under strict legal advise that no comment is to be made in respect of the above charges as such a course would offend the ICC Rules. 

My legal team is in the process of drafting my response and I would make a further release upon the submission of the said response. 

However, I am under advise to state that the above charges do not contain any allegations pertaining to match fixing, pitch fixing or any other similar corrupt activity. The charges allege that I have not been cooperative and not assisted their investigations.

I have always conducted myself with integrity and transparency with matters concerning the sport and I will continue to do so. 

Sanath Jayasuriya