CSA and Alviro Petersen agree on 2-year ban following charges under anti-corruption code [update #4]

[Abdullah719]

CRICKET SOUTH AFRICA today charged former Proteas player and former Highveld Lions captain Alviro Petersen with several breaches of its Anti-Corruption Code for Personnel (“the Code”).

The charges against Petersen follow the lengthy and ongoing investigation by CSA’s Anti-Corruption Unit and the previous findings and bans imposed on Gulam Bodi, Jean Symes, Pumelela Matshikwe, Ethy Mbhalati and Thami Tsolekile for offences under the Code relating to the 2015 RAM SLAM T20 Challenge Series.

Petersen, aged 35, has been charged with:

· Contriving to fix or otherwise improperly influence, or being party to a scheme in which attempts would be made to fix or otherwise improperly influence, a match or matches in the 2015 RAM SLAM T20 Challenge Series;
· Seeking to accept, accepting or agreeing to accept a bribe or reward to fix or contrive to fix or influence improperly a match or matches in the 2015 RAM SLAM T20 Challenge Series;
· Failing to disclose to the Designated Anti-Corruption Official (without unnecessary delay) full details of any approaches or invitations to engage in Corrupt Conduct under the Code;
· Failure to disclose to the Designated Anti-Corruption Official (without unnecessary delay) full details of any incident or fact that may evidence Corrupt Conduct under the Code by another participant;
· Nine counts of failing to disclose (without unnecessary delay) accurate and complete information and/or documentation to the Designated Anti-Corruption Official;
· Obstructing or delaying the investigation by concealing, tampering with or destroying information or documentation relevant to the investigation.

Petersen has fourteen days to respond to the charges under the provisions of the Code.

Under Article 4.7 of the Code, CSA has provisionally suspended Petersen from playing, coaching or otherwise being involved in any capacity in any match under its jurisdiction or that of the ICC or any other ICC member.

In terms of Article 8.1 of the Code and in terms of standard practice, CSA will not make any further comment in respect of the matter.

 

[Gabbar Singh]

It's amazing how these guys are only ever accused of fixing domestic matches when it's pretty obvious that if they are fixing on a local level you can bet your bottom dollar that they've done it at the very top level too.

Cricket stinks and no one seems to care enough to do something about it.

 

[Junaids]

What an awful shame.

Firstly, anyone who pays attention to Twitter feeds will know that he is a deeply religious guy. He was popular with us at Lancashire, even though he wasn't that great on the pitch.

Secondly, I never really forgave Hansie Cronje for having targetted vulnerable non-white cricketers. To see Alviro charged so soon after Thami Tsolekile was convicted of fixing is just really sad, and shows how economic inequality is still so bad in that beautiful country.

 

[Saj]

CSA AND ALVIRO PETERSEN AGREE ON TWO-YEAR BAN FOLLOWING CHARGES UNDER ANTI-CORRUPTION CODE

Wednesday, 21 December 2016

FORMER Proteas and bizhub Highveld Lions player Alviro Petersen has admitted to several breaches of Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) Anti-Corruption Code for Personnel (“the Code”), following the notice of charge issued to him by CSA on 12 November 2016. As a result of his admissions, CSA has banned Petersen for two years.

The banning of Petersen follows a lengthy and complex investigation and the previous imposition by CSA in January 2016 of a twenty-year ban on former Proteas, Lions and Titans player Gulam Bodi after Bodi had admitted charges of contriving or attempting to fix matches in the 2015 RAM SLAM T20 Challenge Series. Bodi acted as an intermediary for international betting syndicates, approaching certain players with a view to engaging in fixing activities during the competition. There were also four other players (Jean Symes (7), Pumelela Matshikwe (10), Ethy Mbhalati (10), Thami Tsolekile (12)) who admitted contraventions of the Code and have been banned for periods ranging between seven and twelve years.

Petersen has admitted four charges of failing to disclose details of an approach to engage in corrupt conduct under the Code; four charges of failing to disclose full details of matters evidencing a breach of the Code by another participant; four charges of failing to co-operate with the investigators by failing to provide accurate and complete information to them; and one charge of concealing and destroying information that was relevant to the investigation.

After considering representations made by Petersen, CSA has withdrawn certain charges against him, including those relating to fixing or contriving to fix any match and seeking, accepting or offering to accept any bribe or other reward to fix or influence any match.

Commenting on the ban, CSA Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said:

“Our aim to deal thoroughly with any form of corruption in the game remains steadfast and we will do everything in our power to protect the integrity of the game.

“Alviro has realised his mistakes and has acknowledged contravening the Code. He is obliged under the Code to have disclosed various approaches that were made to him to engage in corrupt activities.

“While having provided certain information to the investigators he had also withheld and concealed certain material information, such as the meetings with Bodi and certain fixers. This was directly relevant to the investigation and hence why we have imposed a two-year ban which Alviro accepts.”

The CSA investigation has involved many months of gathering evidence and co-operating closely with the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit as a result of the international nature of match-fixing activities. The investigators have also engaged with the South African Police Services, the Hawks and independent forensic experts during the course of the investigation.

The Independent Chairperson of CSA’s Anti-Corruption Unit and former Judge President of the North and South Gauteng High Courts, Bernard Ngoepe, said: “We are still finalizing certain aspects of the investigation and we will not stop until we are fully satisfied that we have exhausted every lead and scrutinised every aspect relating to this matter. CSA should be commended in the way that they are going about this investigation.

“As we have stated previously, any form of corruption in the game will be dealt with severely. We will leave no stone unturned in this investigation.”

Commenting in response to the ban, Petersen said: “I would like to apologize to my family, friends, the public who are fans of the game of cricket, my team mates, Gauteng cricket, Lions cricket and especially to Cricket South Africa for my actions. At the time that the meetings with Bodi and the fixers happened, I never had any intention of fixing matches or taking money. I now deeply regret having participated in these meetings and not to have immediately reported them to the authorities as I am obliged to do. I understand that I need to take personal responsibility for my actions and I accept the punishment that CSA has imposed on me. I hope that other players will learn from my experience and be better prepared if they find themselves in the situation that I was in, and that my punishment will serve as a deterrent. I also want to thank my family, friends and my legal team for their unwavering support and guidance during the last few months.”

The ban in terms of CSA’s Anti-Corruption Code prevents Petersen from participating in, or being involved in any capacity in, any international or domestic match or any other kind of function, event or activity (other than authorized anti-corruption education or rehabilitation programmes) that is authorized, organized, sanctioned, recognized or supported in any way by CSA, the ICC, a National Cricket Federation or any member of a National Cricket Federation.

The ban will run for two years from 12 November 2016, which is the date that Petersen was provisionally suspended from participating in all cricketing activities following the notice of charge issued to him by CSA.

Since the investigation is not complete, neither CSA nor the ICC will make any further comment in respect of the matter.

 

[sensible-indian-fan]

What an awful shame.

Firstly, anyone who pays attention to Twitter feeds will know that he is a deeply religious guy. He was popular with us at Lancashire, even though he wasn't that great on the pitch.

Secondly, I never really forgave Hansie Cronje for having targetted vulnerable non-white cricketers. To see Alviro charged so soon after Thami Tsolekile was convicted of fixing is just really sad, and shows how economic inequality is still so bad in that beautiful country.

Is this the same guy whose career was destroyed by the selfish ABD according to our Saffer brother [MENTION=132982]soso_killer[/MENTION]?

[MENTION=138463]Slog[/MENTION]

 

[Major]

So if they ban 4-5 colored players, wont that effect their team furthur as they are suppose to select those guys and knowing good players from them is less compared to whites

 

[Swanny]

So if they ban 4-5 colored players, wont that effect their team furthur as they are suppose to select those guys and knowing good players from them is less compared to whites

How dis you conclude upcoming coloured players are of a lesser quality ? They can finally produce cricketers who won't run off to Eng. Imo they'll be fine.

 

[Major]

How dis you conclude upcoming coloured players are of a lesser quality ? They can finally produce cricketers who won't run off to Eng. Imo they'll be fine.

There arnt that many good black players. There was ntini and then tsotobe came along for onedays, but they dont even exist now. Philander is there in test.

But the quata is of more then 1 player.

 

[khalil1986]

There arnt that many good black players. There was ntini and then tsotobe came along for onedays, but they dont even exist now. Philander is there in test.

But the quata is of more then 1 player.

What is Rabada?

 

[Professor]

There arnt that many good black players. There was ntini and then tsotobe came along for onedays, but they dont even exist now. Philander is there in test.

But the quata is of more then 1 player.

Rabada and Bavuma are black aren't they? Also there was another all rounder that played for them in the ODI series against Aus and did really well, don't remember his name though.

 

[Monsee]

BTW, what is this nonsense of agreeing to a 2 year ban between cricket board and the guilty player...so now the accused have to agree and accept their punishments first or else what?

 

[Slog]

Is this the same guy whose career was destroyed by the selfish ABD according to our Saffer brother [MENTION=132982]soso_killer[/MENTION]?

[MENTION=138463]Slog[/MENTION]

Yeah the keeper

 

[Swanny]

There arnt that many good black players. There was ntini and then tsotobe came along for onedays, but they dont even exist now. Philander is there in test.

But the quata is of more then 1 player.

The thing is SA have a great domestic system & a sporting culture so quota or no quota they'll be fine.

 

[Abdullah719]