Samuels banned for breaching anti-corruption code

Former West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels was handed a ban from all cricket for six years on Nov. 11 after he was found guilty of anti-corruption code violations related to the Abu Dhabi Ten10 tournament four years ago.

The International Cricket Council (ICC), the sport’s world governing body, confirmed recently that it charged the 42-year-old Jamaican, in their capacity as the designated anti-corruption official on four counts in September 2021 of violating the anti-corruption code of the Emirates Cricket Board.

An independent tribunal then found him guilty of one charge by majority decision, and guilty of three other offenses by unanimous decision after a hearing in August this year.

“Samuels played international cricket for close to two decades, during which he participated in numerous anti-corruption sessions and knew exactly what his obligations were under the anti-corruption codes,” Alex Marshall, who heads up the ICC human resources and integrity unit, said.

“Though he is retired now, Mr. Samuels was a participant when the offenses were committed. The ban of six years will act as a strong deterrent to any participant who intends to break the rules.”

Earlier this year, a majority of a three-member hearing panel agreed that Samuels was guilty of failing to disclose the receipt of any gift, payment, hospitality, or other benefit that could bring him or the sport into disrepute.

The panel returned a unanimous decision that he was guilty of failing to disclose receipt of hospitality with a value of US$750 or more, failing to co-operate with the investigation, and obstructing or delaying the investigation by concealing information that may have been relevant.

Samuels, who scored 3,917 runs in 71 Tests, 5,606 runs in 207 One-Day Internationals, and 1,611 runs in 67 Twenty20 Internationals, was previously banned for two years after being found guilty of “receiving money, or benefit or other reward that could bring him or the game of cricket into disrepute” in May 2008.

He last played for the West Indies in an ODI against hosts Bangladesh five years ago and announced his retirement from all professional cricket two years later.