Cricket Officials Under Fire After Visit To CasinoSport Has Been Plagued By Allegations Of Match Fixing For Gamblers |
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Two Pakistan cricket officials faced criticism this week when they were spotted at a casino. The team is competing in the Asia Cup in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and photos and video recently surfaced of media manager Umar Farooq Kalson and general manager for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Adnan Ali at a local casino.
The pair drew objections for gambling while in town for the tournament. Visiting casinos or any facility where gambling takes place isn’t allowed under international cricket rules, even if you aren’t betting on the sport itself.
“The incident has raised concerns over potential violations of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Anti-Corruption Code, which prohibits visiting gambling establishments,” The Times of India reports. “Critics have questioned the professionalism and wisdom of PCB officials traveling to Colombo during the Asia Cup on official visits, which has come under scrutiny.”
Cricket has seen numerous charges of match fixing in recent years, and the rule is in place to help keep the sport’s image clean.
Just A Dinner Trip?
This sport of cricket has seen its fair share of match fixing in recent years and a lengthy list of players have faced bans since 2000. After facing a backlash, Kalson and Ali said the visit to the casino was just for dinner. That has been met with some skepticism among fans on social media as well as players.
“Not many are buying the explanation that they went to a casino just for dinner. It’s a bit hard to swallow,” cricket writer Omair Alavi told The Times.
PCB media officials Umer Farooq Kalson and Adnan Ali having a good time in a casino in Colombo. Cricket fans will recall that Chief Selector/Manager Moin Khan was recalled during World Cup 2015 and sacked by PCB Chairman Sheharyar Khan when he was seen in a casino in Christchurch… pic.twitter.com/eRoF534xD1
— Shakil Shaikh (@shakilsh58) September 9, 2023
This isn’t the first time Pakistani cricket officials have been involved with a casino-related scandal. At the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, former team captain and manager Moin Khan was forced to return to Pakistan after appearing at a casino before a match.
The latest incident could come with repercussions for Kalson and Ali, according to media reports.
“The ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit takes such incidents seriously to maintain the integrity of the sport and to prevent any potential corruption or misconduct,” Cricadium.com notes.
“Sources indicate that both PCB officials could face strict disciplinary action upon their return from Colombo. The PCB’s Cricket Management Committee is expected to thoroughly review the incident despite the officials’ clarification.”
Pakistan has no gambling of its own. In fact, not only are casinos illegal, but the Islamic nation abides by the Quran, which forbids all forms of gambling, except for horse racing. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, the location of cricket’s Asia Cup, legalized gambling in the tourism district of Colombo back in 2010.
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