Mehar Chhayakar, the person connected to the corruption charges involving UAE cricketers in 2019, was found guilty by an ICC tribunal of seven violations of the ICC and Cricket Canada anti-corruption codes and was consequently banned from all forms of cricket for 14 years.
Chhayakar was sentenced to a penalty for offenses that occurred during games in the Global T20 Canada in 2019 and Zimbabwe vs. UAE series in April 2019. According to the ICC, “Mr. Chhayakar’s offenses are connected to the prior trials of former UAE players Qadeer Khan and Gulam Shabbir.”
“Both Qadeer and Shabbir accepted punishment for confessed violations of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code in connection with approaches from Mr. Chhayakar.”
Chhayakar had violated the following ICC and Cricket Canada anti-corruption rules, according to the ICC:
- Article 2.1.1 (on two different occasions) – Fixing or contriving in any manner, or otherwise influencing improperly; or being a party to any agreement or endeavor to fix or concoct in any way, or otherwise influence improperly, the result, progress, conduct, or any other aspect of any international match, including (without limitation) by intentionally underperforming therein.
- Article 2.1.4 (on two different occasions) – Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, directing, persuading, encouraging, or purposefully assisting any participant to violate any of the aforementioned requirements of this Article 2.1.
- Article 2.4.6 (on two separate occasions) – Failing or refusing, without compelling explanation, to cooperate with any investigation carried out by the ACU regarding potential corrupt behavior under the anti-corruption code (by any participant), including (without limitation), failing to give accurate and completely any information and/or documents required by the ACU (whether as part of a formal demand according to Article 4.3 or otherwise).
- Article 2.4.7 – “Obstructing or delaying (by any participant) any investigation that may be conducted by the ACU with respect to probable corrupt behaviour under the Anti-Corruption Code, including (without limitation) hiding, tampering with, or destroying documents or other material that may be significant to that investigation and/or that may be evidence of or may lead to the finding of evidence of corrupt conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code”
According to Alex Marshal, general manager of the ICC’s integrity section, “We first encountered Mehar Chhayakar through his role in organizing a corrupt cricket tournament in Ajman, in 2018. The accusations for which he has now been subject to a protracted suspension are yet another illustration of his ongoing efforts to deceive and damage our sport.
The panel has delivered a strong message to anyone attempting to tamper with our game by imposing a 14-year penalty.”
