The head of the Federation of International Cricketers Association believes that all cricket countries should offer an amnesty for information on match-fixing.
Although FICA chief executive Tim May concedes that the England and Wales Cricket Board’s decision to offer a three-month amnesty has not led many players to take advantage of it, he sees it as a worthwhile exercise as the game tries to rid itself of the match-fixing scourge.
The ECB were prompted to offer the amnesty in the wake of former Essex bowler Mervyn Westfield’s conviction for spot-fixing.
“My understanding is that they didn’t really gather a great deal out of that exercise. But I think it is a worthwhile exercise for other countries to do,” said former Australia international May.
“Just because the England players didn’t have much to report doesn’t mean that Australian, New Zealand, Pakistan, Indian, Sri Lankan players haven’t got much to provide either.
“I think there are players out there that are holding a great deal of information from the past or even the current that would assist the people who are put in charge of reducing, minimising or eradicating corruption from our game.”
Convicted spot-fixer Mohammad Asif was on Thursday released from prison after serving half of a 12-month sentence.
Asif was one of three Pakistan players who were sent to jail after they were found guilty of agreeing to bowl no-balls during a tour of England.
They were also banned from cricket by the ICC for a minimum of five years, but while that was expected to act as a deterrent to other players considering fixing, May acknowledges that it is unlikely to have eradicated the problem.
“I’d like to think that cricket was clean at the moment, but I think I’d be naive to think that,” May told pakpassion.net.
“I think it’s important that if we really want to attack these issues that we know what is going on.
“I think there is some information out there and we should make it as easy as possible for players to come forward with it.”
