UCB suspends EP board member

The United Cricket Board of South Africa received yesterday (Friday 19 April 2002) a report from Michael Kuper, SC, on a disciplinary hearing which he chaired on 10 April 2002 to hear a charge of misconduct against Eastern Province Cricket Board board member Rajan Moodaley.

Mr Moodalay has been found guilty of contravening clauses 1.5.1 and 1.5.2 of the Rules and Code of Conduct of the United Cricket Board of South Africa. Those clauses state:

"PARTICIPANTS shall not engage in - 1.5.1 Acts of misconduct, or unruly behaviour or commit any criminal offence whilst participating in or about to or having participated in a REGULATED MATCH and whilst within the precincts of the ground at which the REGULATED MATCH is played, or 1.5.2 Unbecoming or detrimental conduct which could bring them, the BOARD or the game of cricket into disrepute."

The charges arose from a claim by Mr Moodaley, who is the chairman of the Eastern Province Scorers Association, for a fee for acting as a scorer in the One-Day International at St George's Park on 17 October 2001 and as a media scorer for the 2nd Test match between India and South Africa at St George's Park from 16-20 November 2001. Mr Moodaley was paid an amount of R4 800.00 by the South African Cricket Scorers Association (SACSA) in respect of emails received from Mr Moodaley in which he set out the list of scorers who had officiated in the respective matches for the purpose of obtaining payment for those scorers. In those emails, Mr Moodaley had included himself as a scorer, although this was subsequently found not to be the case as he had not officiated as a scorer at either match.

Mr Moodaley was found guilty of contravening both clauses of the Code of Conduct.

"This conduct is a serious lapse in the integrity of a person occupying a very senior position in cricket administration. It compromises the financial probity of the UCB and puts the administration of cricket in a poor light. As such, it cannot be condoned and it is important that the UCB is seen to take a strong stand in cases like this," said Mr Kuper in his report.

Mr Moodaley has been disqualified from holding any office in cricket administration including umpiring and scoring for a period of one year from the date of the report, after which time he may, if he wishes, apply for reinstatement to the Eastern Province Cricket Union, which will then decide in consultation with the UCB the terms and conditions which are to apply to any such reinstatement.

In addition, Mr Moodaley is to repay SACSA the amount of R4 800.00 within three months, failing which the disqualification referred to above will endure for three years. (This does not prejudice the right of SACSA or the UCB to sue for the money if it is not paid.)