Former West Indies all-rounder Marlon Samuels, who helped his team win the 2012 and 2016 T20 World Cups, has been banned from all cricket for six years after being found guilty of breaching the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB)'s anti-corruption code. The ban has begun, effective from 11 November 2023. (Cricket News | 2023 ODI World Cup)
Samuels was charged by the International Cricket Council on four counts in September 2021, and was found guilty of the offences in August 2023. The charges relate to the Abu Dhabi T10 in 2019, where he was part of the Karnataka Tuskers but did not play.
Below are the four charges where Samuels was held guilty:
Article 2.4.2 – Failing to disclose to the Designated Anti-Corruption Official, the receipt of any gift, payment, hospitality or other benefit that was made or given in circumstances that could bring the Participant or the sport of cricket into disrepute.
Article 2.4.3 – Failing to disclose to the Designated Anti-Corruption Official receipt of hospitality with a value of US $750 or more.
Article 2.4.6 – Failing to cooperate with the Designated Anti-Corruption Official’s investigation.
Article 2.4.7 – Obstructing or delaying the Designated Anti-Corruption Official’s investigation by concealing information that may have been relevant to the investigation.
“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," ICC's HR and Integrity Unit head Alex Marshall said.
Marshall added: “Though he is retired now, Mr Samuels was a participant when the offences were committed. The ban of six years will act as a strong deterrent to any participant who intends to break the rules.”
Samuels top-scored for West Indies in the final of both the 2012 and 2016 T20 World Cups, and was last seen in international action in 2018. He announced his retirement in November 2020 with over 11,000 international runs across formats.
