BCCI petitions top court to criminalise match-fixing

In a bid to ramp up pressure on illegal bookmakers and bent players, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) moved the country's top court to make match-fixing a criminal offence.

BCCI, the world’s richest cricket body, has argued to the Supreme Court that "the act of match-fixing constitutes a criminal offence".

The BCCI said it had stepped up to protect the sport, in court documents seen by AFP on Thursday.

"The prevalence of corrupt practices in cricket matches has an adverse impact on the game and undermines the integrity of the sport," the BCCI wrote in documents filed with the court registrar on October 14.

The BCCI’s legal argument is that match-fixing counts as cheating by deception — an existing offence under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) — and therefore should be counted as a crime.

The case continues.

The appeal stems from allegations of match-fixing during a state cricket league in 2018-2019 in Karnataka involving six people —including two players, the coach and team owner.

The High Court in the southern state dismissed it as a criminal case in 2022.

The first major scandal in Indian cricket to make headlines erupted in April 2000 when police intercepted calls between bookmakers and South Africa captain Hansie Cronje during his team’s tour of India.

Cronje confessed to throwing matches and named India’s then captain Mohammad Azharuddin as the person who introduced him to bookmakers.

The BCCI instituted its own anti-corruption codes in 2019, which give the board the power to issue fines and lifetime bans.

"Public confidence in the authenticity and integrity of the sporting contest is vital," the code reads, submitted to the court.

"If that confidence is undermined, then the very essence of cricket will be shaken to the core."

Another fixing controversy broke out in the Indian Premier League in 2013 when players and officials from Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings were found involved in spot-fixing and betting activities.

Key players were banned for breaching the BCCI’s code of conduct and the teams suspended for two years.

Neighbouring Sri Lanka introduced tough laws to tackle match-fixing in 2019, including up to 10 years in jail and fines of INR100 million ($333,000).

That came after then sports minister Harin Fernando said the game was riddled with graft "from top to bottom".

Sri Lanka’s former spin bowler Sachithra Senanayake became the first to be prosecuted under the law in June. He denies wrongdoing.