Close on the heels of Cricket South Africa (CSA) accusing former international cricketer Gulam Bodi of “influencing” matches in the Ram Slam T20 tournament, Daily Mail alleged that two active Test cricketers, among others, too were involved in the fixing web and were being investigated by the South African board.

While the identity of players are under wraps, they are reportedly Test cricketers, who though didn’t feature in the ongoing series against England. However, they are reportedly “reasonably big names” of international cricket.

This was another grave development—which Daily Mail claims as the worst fixing fiasco since the Hansie Cronje episode 16 years ago—in the corruption scandal that has shrouded South African cricket of late, and has the potential to rock the cricket world again.

According to The Guardian, the cricket board spoke to 47 players and staff in the country as part of the inquest. Among them, several lesser-experienced players “either responded or didn’t report the approaches”.

While Bodi, who played three limited overs matches for South Africa in 2007 and stopped playing last year, is cooperating with the officials, several others are not, the report claimed. Business Day, meanwhile, reported that “a legal case is being prepared against a significant number of young players”.

Apparently, most of them are “young vulnerable players unsure of whether they have a sustainable future in the game”.

Bodi’s alleged role in fixing matches was revealed after a detailed investigation on the conduct or Ram Slam tournament by CSA last year. Indian-origin player Bodi, CSA understood, was an “intermediary” for betting syndicates. He was later charged by CSA’s anti-corruption code for ‘contriving to fix or otherwise improperly influence’ aspects of the 2015 Ram Slam and has been suspended from all cricket activities.

“Following our investigations and due process, we have reached a point where we can confirm that Mr Bodi is the intermediary who was charged by CSA in early December 2015 under the CSA Anti-Corruption Code,” CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat had stated last week.

He emphasised that they wouldn’t show any lenience to the violators. “Our attitude to corruption will always be one of zero tolerance and we are confident that we have the necessary structures in place to effectively deal with any corrupt activity. We will relentlessly pursue under our code and the law of the land any persons we believe to be involved in corrupting the game and, with assistance from the police, we will also seek criminal prosecution.”

As match-fixing is illegal and punishable in the country, as per the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act Law, those found guilty of manipulating matches could face severe censures including prison terms if criminal cases are sought. It could affect the game’s global credibility as well.

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