Former England captain Alec Stewart has been cleared of all match-fixing allegations after an inquiry found there was no evidence to support them, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Wednesday.
The investigation, carried out by the International Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU), had looked into accusations that the wicketkeeper had received money in 1993 from an Indian bookmaker in return for pitch information.
Stewart denied the allegations.
ECB chairman Lord MacLaurin said: ``Lord (Paul) Condon’s Anti-Corruption Unit has undertaken a very thorough investigation into the allegations made against Alec Stewart and has concluded that there exists no substantive evidence justifying proceedings against Alec in relation to this matter. The matter is therefore closed.‘’
Last November, Indian bookmaker Mukesh Gupta said he had paid Stewart 5,000 pounds ($7,030) for information during England’s 1993 tour of India.
Stewart denied all allegations of accepting money, although he has said that he might have met Gupta socially.
Last month Stewart met Condon, a former London police chief appointed to lead the ICC inquiry in corruption, following complaints from the ACU that the Surrey player was avoiding the meeting.
In the meeting he again denied the allegations and made available his financial records for the period involved.
Wednesday’s statement included detailed results of the ACU’s inquiry and its conclusions, written by Gerard Elias QC, chairman of the Discipline Standing Committee.
It said that Gupta declined to make a statement or help with the inquiry in any way and that there was no independent evidence confirming, supporting or corroborating the allegation.
``The Board’s Discipline Committee can give little credence to allegations which the maker is unwilling or unable to substantiate,‘’ Elias said.
I express satisfaction that the matter has been exhaustively examined and that the international dimension’’ to the enquiries, which would not have been within the jurisdiction of the Board to investigate, has been pursued with all vigour.
``It is appropriate to use this opportunity to reiterate the Discipline Committee’s absolute determination to root out any element of corruption within the game in the United Kingdom, and to bring forward any admissible evidence which is brought to its attention for full and proper examination.
``Anyone found to have been involved in corrupt practices will inevitably face the most severe penalties.‘’
LIFE BANS
Accusations of corruption and match-fixing have been rife in the game in recent years with a string of high-profile international players being punished for their involvement.
Last year former South Africa captain Hansie Cronje was banned for life for his part in match-fixing while Australians Shane Warne and Mark Waugh were fined in 1995 for giving pitch information to bookmakers, although the affair was kept secret until 1998.
Several Pakistan test players, including former captains Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis and top batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq, were censured and fined last year while Salim Malik was banned for life.
Former India captain and national hero Mohammed Azharuddin was also given a life ban following an extensive investigation.
Condon’s first report in May this year concluded that corruption had been present in the game since the 1970s and was still present. The report, which heard that some 1999 World Cup matches had been fixed, complained of a conspiracy of silence.
Condon made 24 recommendations to reform the ICC which were accepted by the organisation in June this year.