LONDON, April 19: The ICC�s Anti-Corruption Unit head Alex Marshall has revealed that �known corrupters� are trying to build relations with cricketers by exploiting their increased presence on social media due to the coronavirus-forced halt to on-field action.
No competitive match has taken place since a Pakistan Super League game on March 15 as players globally have been in lockdown enforced to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed lakhs worldwide.
�We are seeing known corrupters use this time, when players are on social media more than ever, to connect with them and try to build a relationship that they can exploit at a later date,� Marshall was quoted as saying by The Guardian.
Marshall insists the lull in cricketing activity does not necessarily mean a drop in fixing approaches.
�COVID-19 may have put a temporary stop on the playing of international and domestic cricket around the world but the corrupters are still active,� Marshall was quoted as saying by The Guardian.
The novel coronavirus outbreak has put a complete stop on all on-field cricketing activity and there is no clarity on when things will normalise.
�We have reached out to our members, players and their wider networks to highlight this issue and ensure they all continue to be aware of the dangers of approaches...,� Marshall said. The ACU chief�s team is also aware that the drop in income due to absence of matches could also make some of the less well-paid players more vulnerable to enticing offers from fixers.
James Pyemont, the England and Wales Cricket Board�s head of integrity, added: �There will always be someone to make something out of a crisis and view it as an opportunity.� � PTI