Zimbabwe ban fan after attempt to involve player in match fixing

HARARE : A cricket supporter has received a five-year ban after he unsuccessfully tried to get a Zimbabwe international player involved in a spot-fixing deal, Zimbabwe Cricket announced on Saturday as it called for such offences to be criminalised.

Edward Walter Mupangano, a 27-year-old from Harare, was banned by Zimbabwe Cricket after approaching Luke Jongwe last August and sought to introduce him to an Indian bookmaker.

The book maker allegedly wanted the player to bowl in a pre-arranged manner during an international match in return for a payment amounting to $7,000, a statement said.

“The facilitator himself would allegedly receive $3,000 if the planned corrupt activity was successful. Jongwe immediately reported the approach,” it added.

Following an investigation, Mupangano accepted a charge of violating Zimbabwe Cricket’s Anti-Corruption Code and was banned for five years from all ZC-affiliated cricket venues and events.

“ZC believes cases such as this demonstrate the urgent need for Zimbabwe to have a legal instrument to make fixing and any other sporting corruption a criminal offence.

“It is our view that harsh sanctions, including custodial sentences, will go a long way in helping cricket to curb one of the biggest threats to its credibility,” Zimbabwe Cricket Chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani said.

“Criminalising match-fixing and spot-fixing will send a strong warning to offenders and would-be offenders that corruption has no place in cricket and those who engage in it should be jailed or put out of the game,” he added.

(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; editing by Jason Neely)