Miscellaneous

Now Bacher is accused of match-fixing

The King Commission has confirmed that it is investigating a shock allegation against United Cricket Board managing director Dr Ali Bacher by a Johannesburg attorney that he (Bacher) was involved in arrangements for the West Indies cricket team to

14-Jun-2000
The King Commission has confirmed that it is investigating a shock allegation against United Cricket Board managing director Dr Ali Bacher by a Johannesburg attorney that he (Bacher) was involved in arrangements for the West Indies cricket team to receive extra payment for losing a match.
The allegation against Bacher is made in a statement submitted by attorney Peter Soller to the King Commission of Inquiry on Tuesday.
John Bacon, secretary of the Commission, told Beeld that he had received Soller's statement and that the allegations against Dr Bacher would be investigated at once.
According to Soller's statement, he was called to the Wanderers cricket ground in Johannesburg by a sports promoter, Richard Tessel, during a one-day match between South Africa and the West Indies.
The match took place during a "rebel tour" by the West Indies in the mid-eighties.
Tessel told him he was involved in the arrangements for the tour and that during the luncheon break the West Indian team had decided that they would not go back on the playing field because they were not being paid enough.
Soller said Tessel had asked him to negotiate with the West Indians.
Soller's statement says: "I spoke in the West Indians' change rooms to the captain, Lawrence Rowe, among others. At one point the late Atholl McKinnon, then media representative for the Windies, asked me to go to another place in the Wanderers where Dr Ali Bacher was waiting for me.
"At first Dr Bacher threatened to summons the Windies for breach of contract. After discussions between Mr Tessel and Dr Bacher the three of us agreed that if the Windies agreed to blow the match they would be paid extra as an inducement."
Soller's statement continues: "After another protracted session of negotiations with the Windies players, they agreed to go back on the playing field and lose the match."
Soller's statement does not give any indication of how much money was involved.
Dr Ali Bacher told Beeld on Tuesday night that he "most strongly" denied being involved in any match fixing.
He said he well remembered the specific match at the Wanderers, as well as the dispute which arose over the payment to the Windies team.
"I never made an offer that they would receive more money if they deliberately lost the match" he said.
Responding to Dr Bacher's statement, Peter Soller said that he stood 100 per cent by his allegations.
Soller was the attorney representing Laurie Fraser in the latter's custody battle and subsequent abduction case. - Beeld/News24.
This story first appeared on www.news24.co.za and www.beeld.com