ICC to examine tapes on Indian bookies' network

The ICC is in the process of procuring tapes from Sports Illustrated India after the magazine published a story in its May edition on the illegal bookies network in India. The tapes include 400 minutes of conversations the magazine had with people involved in bookmaking - in some cases, the conversations are actually part of police operations.

One of the main points of interest to cricket investigators is likely to be a conversation the magazine recorded with a bookie in which he alleges that he has taped conversations of him with an international player in which he is detailing a fix. He also claims to have another taped conversation with the same player after the arrangement fell through, which the magazine claims to have heard (but doesn't have access to).

"Our official line is if anybody offers us evidence of any wrongdoing, we will of course look at it and evaluate it," an ICC official told ESPNcricinfo. The ACSU will then take over and study the tapes further.

The BCCI said they cannot take any action unless there is "concrete evidence" at hand. "So far we have not received anything from them [Sports Illustrated]. They are saying they will give us the tapes, but so far they haven't," BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla told Mail Today. "Unless there is concrete evidence, we can't take action in this issue."

The main thrust of the magazine's investigation - which it said lasted six months - revolves around how easy it appears to be for bookies to have access to top players. In the magazine's own words there are no startling revelations of the kind cricket saw with the News of the World sting last summer. But the recorded conversations with police officers, officials and players offer a number of starting points for further investigations.

Cricket is not alone. Football is currently tackling its own problem - possibly more severe and widespread - of match-fixing. FIFA, the world's governing body, on Monday launched a global initiative along with Interpol that will investigate the suspected manipulation of more than 300 matches in 20 European countries, including games in World Cup qualifying groups and the Champions and Europa Leagues. It has also pledged $20 million to Interpol over the next 10 years to spend on programmes intended to stop players, match officials and administrators being targeted by fixing rings.