New Icc Anti- Corruption Head Named

The International Cricket Council has announced its new head of the anti-corruption and security unit (ACSU) – Yogendra Pal Singh, a former Indian policeman – will take over from Ravi Sawani who is retiring, having been in the role since 2007.

Singh, from New Delhi, spent 30 years in the Indian Police Service including several years with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), as joint-director in charge of anti-corruption.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat, who paid tribute to the work of Sawani, said: ‘As recent events have shown, the menace of corruption in sport is real. But with the measures we have established over the years the public can be confident that we will make certain the integrity of the sport is maintained’.

‘We must, however, remain vigilant and YP will bring with him a fresh outlook to the continuing challenges that lie ahead’.

The appointment follows soon after criticism from England captain Andrew Strauss who claimed last month that the ACSU appeared ‘woefully under-resourced’.

Strauss was the opposing captain at a Test match at Lord’s when three Pakistan cricketers – then captain Salman Butt and seamers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer – were all accused by News of the World of conspiring to deliberately bowl no-balls as part of a ‘spot-fixing’ betting scam.

Strauss said: ‘The only input I’ve had is with the anti-corruption people who came round during the World Cup’.

‘It seems to me that they are woefully under-resourced. I just don’t think they’ve got the resources to do it properly. I haven’t seen any resolve to deal with the issue’.

The trio, who all deny wrongdoing, were banned by the ICC for a minimum of five years each, verdicts that will all be appealed at the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Sawani announced just over a year ago he intended to stand down after this year’s World Cup in the subcontinent, won by co-hosts India in Mumbai in April.