Bangladesh cricket player Akhter has received a five-year ban from cricket after being found guilty of multiple breaches of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. The ban, which encompasses all forms of participation in the sport, was announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on February 11. The corruption case is associated with the Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 held in South Africa, although Akhter did not participate in the tournament.
The 36-year-old bowler was penalized for five specific violations of the Anti-Corruption Code, starting with Article 2.1.3, which addresses the fixing or influencing of an international match through deliberate underperformance. Akhter also confessed to breaching the same article regarding seeking, accepting, or offering a bribe to influence a match, which could be for betting or other corrupt aims.
Another infraction was under Article 2.1.4, relating to soliciting or encouraging another participant to engage in fixing activities. Additionally, the ICC cited Article 2.4.4 for her failure to disclose any approaches or invitations to participate in corrupt behavior; players must report such incidents to the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU).
Lastly, Akhter was found to have obstructed an ACU investigation, a violation of Article 2.4.7, encompassing actions like concealing or destroying relevant evidence. Her ban took effect on February 10, meaning she will not be eligible to participate in cricket again until February 2030.
Corruption and match-fixing remain persistent issues in sports worldwide. Recently, the International Tennis Integrity Agency provisionally suspended Thai player Jatuporn Na Lamphun for potential violations of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme, following last week's suspensions of six other players. Meanwhile, the Bolivian Football Federation is investigating five players from Club Real Santa Cruz for alleged match-fixing last year. In December, the UK’s Darts Regulation Authority banned players Leighton Bennett and Billy Warriner for match-fixing, and snooker player Mark King received a five-year suspension for similar offenses.
