Ex-Windies batter Samuels gets 6-year ban for anti-corruption breaches

Marlon Samuels has been banned from all cricket for six years after the former West Indies batter was found guilty of four breaches of the Emirates Cricket Board Anti-Corruption Code, the sport's governing body (ICC) said on Thursday.

The 42-year-old, who represented West Indies in all three formats before retiring from cricket in 2020, was charged in September 2021 and found guilty in August after a hearing by an independent tribunal.

The breaches relate to his conduct while playing in the Abu Dhabi T10 league in 2019. The ban commenced on Nov. 11.

"Samuels played international cricket for close to two decades, during which he participated in numerous anti-corruption sessions and knew exactly what his obligations were under the Anti-Corruption Codes," ICC HR and Integrity Unit head Alex Marshall said in a statement.

"Though he is retired now, Samuels was a participant when the offences were committed. The ban of six years will act as a strong deterrent to any participant who intends to break the rules."

Samuels, who scored 3,917 runs in 71 test matches from 2000 to 2016 and 5,606 runs in 207 One-Day Internationals, was previously banned for two years in 2008 for passing on team information to a bookmaker.