After the ICC Anti-Corruption Tribunal found Mohammad Naveed and Shaiman Anwar Butt guilty of violating the Anti-Corruption Code in early 2021, the International Cricket Council (ICC) suspended them for an eight-year term. According to reports, the violation occurred in 2019 when the pair threatened to tamper with matches during the ICC T20 World Cup qualifiers in the United Arab Emirates.
Articles 2.1.1 and 2.4.4 of the code were found to be broken by the two. Players are not allowed to be a part of a “agreement or attempt to correct or contrive or otherwise inappropriately affect the outcome, development, actions, or other aspect(s) of a match or matches,” according to the articles.
Plays must therefore record any ‘approaches or offers to partake in unethical activity obtained,’ which the pair refused to do.
“Mohammad Naveed and Shaiman Anwar represented their adopted country, the UAE, at the highest level of cricket,” said Alex Marshall, the General Manager of the ICC’s Integrity Unit, in a statement. Both had extensive international experience and were well aware of the challenge posed by match fixers. It was a hypocritical betrayal to their role, their teammates, and all UAE cricket fans that they wanted to partake in this unethical activity.”
“I am delighted that the independent Tribunal has enforced substantial bans from all aspects of cricket, and this should act as a warning to any cricketer considering going down the wrong path,” he said.
Owing to the fact that Naveed is 33 and Anwar is 42, the two’s international cricket careers are effectively over after an eight-year suspension.