ICC bans Rizwan Javed for 17 and half years

UK-based club cricketer Rizwan Javed has been banned for 17 and a half years after he was found guilty of five different breaches of the Emirates Cricket Board's (ECB) Anti-Corruption Code. 

Rizwan was one of the eight players and officials charged by the apex cricketing council - ICC - concerning his involvement in the 2021 Abu Dhabi T10 Cricket League. ICC posted that Rizwan had attempted to corrupt matches in the tournament. 

“Rizwan Javed has received a lengthy ban from cricket for his repeated and serious attempts to corrupt professional cricketers,” said ICC General Manager Integrity, Alex Marshall. 

“He has shown no remorse and no respect for the rules that are in place to protect our sport,” he added. 

Michael J Beloff KC, Chair of the ICC Code of Conduct Committee, came to the decision after Rizwan failed to respond to the charges. It was, therefore, deemed that Rizwan had committed the offences charged. Rizwan’s ban is backdated to 19 September 2023, a date when he was provisionally suspended. 

Rizwan is found guilty of: 

Article 2.1.1 – Being party to an attempt to fix, contrive or influence improperly matches or aspects of matches in the Abu Dhabi T10 2021 (on three separate occasions).

Article 2.1.3 – Offering a Reward to another Participant in exchange for that player engaging in Corrupt Conduct.

Article 2.1.4 – Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach Code Article 2.1 (on three separate occasions).

Article 2.4.4 - Failing to disclose to the DACO full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in Corrupt Conduct under the Code.

Article 2.4.6 – Failing or refusing, without compelling justification, to cooperate with any investigation carried out by the DACO in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Code.