ICC suspends Irfan Ansari for 'corrupt approach'

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has charged Irfan Ansari with three counts of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.

Ansari, a former employee of Sharjah Cricket Stadium, is accused of approaching Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed during an ODI series against Sri Lanka in UAE last year. Ahmed had reported the approach to Pakistan cricket officials.

According to an ICC press release, Mr Ansari is party to the code through his position as a person who is affiliated to a team that participates in International Matches and the Coach of the One Stop Tourism and Multiplex international teams who participate in domestic matches in the UAE.

He has been provisionally suspended with immediate effect and has been charged with the following three offences under the Code:

Article 2.3.3 - directly soliciting, inducing, enticing or encouraging a participant to breach Code Article 2.3.2

Article 2.4.6 - failure or refusal to cooperate with the ACU’s investigation by failing to provide accurately and completely the information and / or documentation requested by the ACU in October 2017

Article 2.4.6 - failure or refusal to cooperate with the ACU’s investigation by failing to provide accurately and completely the information and / or documentation requested by the ACU in February 2018

Mr Ansari has 14 days from 19 May 2018 to respond to the charges.