Samuels has ban upheld

Jamaican to serve two-year sentence for corruption

Last updated: 3rd July 2008  

Samuels has ban upheld

Samuels: Corruption charge

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West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels' two-year corruption charge has been upheld by the International Cricket Council after a board meeting was held on Thursday.

Samuels, 27, was allegedly caught on tape by police passing match-related information on to a bookmaker during a series in India in February 2007.

The disciplinary committee of the West Indies Cricket Board found Samuels guilty of offence C 4 (ix) of the ICC code of conduct, in that he "received any money, benefit or other reward (whether financial or otherwise) which could bring him or the game of cricket into disrepute".

An ICC statement stressed: "The penalty for being found guilty of this offence is a minimum two-year ban."

Disrepute

Leading British sports lawyer Michael Beloff, the chairman of the ICC's code of conduct commission chairman, led an inquiry into the WICB's procedures.

According to the ICC's statement, this found "both the process and punishment imposed were in keeping with ICC regulations".

Samuels was charged with receiving the benefit of the provision of hotel accommodation to the value of $1,238 from Mukesh Kochchar, a suspected bookmaker, or his associates which could bring him or the game of cricket into disrepute under the ICC code.

But he was cleared of another charge of passing to the bookmaker confidential team information regarding the West Indies opening bowlers in the first ODI against India on January 21, 2007 in Nagpur.

Samuels was disciplined for breaking a team curfew in 2002 and has also been suspended from bowling in internationals due to a suspect action.