Former West Indies cricketer Marlon Samuels has been charged by the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Anti-Corruption Unit for four breaches of Emirates Cricket Board’s Anti-Corruption Code. The charges are related to his participation in a T10 League in Abu Dhabi in 2019.
The 40-year-old Samuels is accused of failing to disclose the receipt of ‘any gift, payment, hospitality or other benefit’ as well as failure to co-operate with the investigation into the issue.
The Cricket West Indies (CWI) was formally informed of the charges but stated only that:
‘While CWI has yet to receive detailed information relating to this ICC investigation, CWI remains firm in denouncing any such activities within the sport, and fully supports the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit in their efforts to rid the sport of all corruption.
‘While this ongoing investigation continues, CWI will not make any further comment in respect of these charges.’
Under the Code, Samuel was charged with the following offences:
- A breach of Article 2.4.2—Failing to disclose to the Designated Anti-Corruption Official, the receipt of any gift, payment, hospitality or other benefit that was made or given in circumstances that could bring the Participant or the sport of cricket into disrepute.
- A breach of Article 2.4.3—Failing to disclose to the Designated Anti-Corruption Official receipt of hospitality with a value of US $750 or more.
- Breaches of Article 2.4.6—Failing to cooperate with the Designated Anti-Corruption Official’s investigation.
- Breaches of Article 2.4.7—Obstructing or delaying the Designated Anti-Corruption Official’s investigation by concealing information that may have been relevant to the investigation.
Samuels has 14 days to respond to the charges.
A gifted middle-order batsman, Samuels played 71 Tests, 207 ODIs and 67 T20Is for the West Indies. The Jamaican scored 11,134 runs and picked up 152 wickets during his international career between 2000 and 2018, and helped the regional team win the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup in 2016.
Next month in the UAE and Oman, West Indies will be bidding to successfully defend that title.