Indian cricketer Mohammed Siraj has alleged that a corrupt approach was made to him during the ODI series between India and Australia in March 2023. Siraj, who is currently playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League, reportedly approached the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) about the alleged corruption.
According to reports, a man had approached Siraj for inside information on the matches after losing a lot of money. The pacer promptly reported the matter to BCCI officials, which led to the arrest of the suspect by law enforcement authorities. The suspect is currently being interrogated.
“It wasn’t a bookie who approached Siraj. It is a driver from Hyderabad who is addicted to betting on matches. He had lost a large sum of money and approached Siraj for inside information,” a senior BCCI source told the Indian news agency Press Trust of India (PTI).
Under the Indian board’s code of conduct, officials and players are required to report any corrupt approaches. Failure to do so can result in players being sanctioned. “It is acknowledged that the fight against corruption requires prompt reporting of all such approaches and any unnecessary delay in doing so may undermine the effectiveness with which the ACU BCCI and other relevant anti-corruption bodies can protect the integrity of the sport,” the BCCI’s anti-corruption code says.
The BCCI has been working to beef up its anti-corruption efforts since the 2013 Indian Premier League spot-fixing scandal, which saw S Sreesanth, Ankit Chavan, and Ajit Chandila arrested on charges of spot-fixing. Former Chennai Super Kings team principal Gurunath Meiyappan was also arrested in connection with the scandal.
Each team now has a dedicated anti-corruption unit official who stays in the same hotel and monitors all movements. Players are also required to attend mandatory anti-corruption workshops to learn about dos and don’ts. Sanctions are in place for players who fail to report corrupt approaches.
In 2021, Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan was suspended for not reporting a corrupt approach during his IPL stint in the previous season.
Siraj’s prompt reporting of the alleged corrupt approach demonstrates the effectiveness of the BCCI’s anti-corruption efforts. The BCCI and other relevant anti-corruption bodies must continue to work together to protect the integrity of the sport and maintain a level playing field for all
