Bribery allegation by ACB on Malik (30 Oct 95)

Here is the statement the Australian Cricket Board released yesterday on the bribery allegations:

"The past week has seen a great deal of emotive public comment about the bribery allegations and the handling of those allegations by the relevant cricket authorities. ACB does not take issue with the fact that there has been public debate. What the ACB does take issue with is:-

The suggestion that three Australian players concocted the bribery allegations: That slure on our players` characters has culminated this morning in Shane Warne having to defend himself publicly against suggestions that he is a liar. Shane`s comments were made with ACB`s knowledge and support. Our only regret is that he had to make them.

The criticism of ACB for not sending its players to Pakistan for examination by Judge Ebrahim: ACB thinks such criticism is unwarranted. ACB had made it clear to both ICC and the Pakistan Cricket Board as early as April this year that its players would not go to Pakistan for an inquiry. Both ACB and the players concerned would have been prepared to go to London to give evidence. There was also a question of player safety, a fact that was acknowledged by the ICC and the PCB. How would ACB have looked if it had sent its players to Pakistan and one of them had been harmed in any way?

The rejection by the PCB of ACB`s offer to make its players available for examination in Australia meant Judge Ebrahim was not given the opportunity of examining our players. There are established procedures which are used often with international witnesses which involve taking evidence on commission utilising the Courts in the witness` country of residence. Evidence could also have been taken by video link. These options appear not to have been considered.

Apart from the extraordinary and damaging remarks from Judge Ebrahim that our platers concocted their stories, ACB has not sought to argue with the Judge`s findings. We were, however, very disappointed that the PCB saw fit to release the Judge`s findings and our players` statements without consultation with us.

The allegations of bribery had the potential from the outset to be extraordinarily damaging to world cricket. At all times since the ACB became aware of the allegations ACB has believed that ICC is the appropriate authority to handle those allegations. The matter was brought to the attention of ICC in November 1994. There has been repeated suggestion that ICC does not have power to investigate the allegations. In ACB`s view, not only did ICC have power but it was clearly appropriate for it to conduct an inquiry. The whole issue falls squarely within Rule 2 of the ICC`s Code of Conduct which states: "Players and Team Officials shall not at any time engage in conduct unbecoming to an International Player or Team Official which could bring them or the game into disrepute." We will continue to take up our concerns with ICC.

The suggestion that ACB has used the bribery allegations to psyche Pakistan out of the forthcoming Test series is so ridiculous that it does not warrant any further comment. ACB and its players regard the playing of the series of matches between Australia and Pakistan as totally separate. Statements made in the past week by Mark Taylor and Wasim Akram clearly support this view. At all times since it became aware of the allegations and on a number of occasions in the past week, ACB has been in close consultation with its players. ACB has acted and will continue to act with the interests of its players and the game as its paramount concerns."