All-rounder Gulam Bodi slapped with a 20 year-ban for match-fixing

Gulam Bodi has been banned from all cricket-related activities for 20 years after admitting he attempted to fix matches in the country’s domestic Twenty20 competition this season.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced the punishment on Monday following an investigation conducted by the organisation’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit. Bodi had admitted his guilt on 18th January.

A statement on Cricket South Africa’s website said Bodi was immediately banned from involvement in all CSA, International Cricket Council or other national cricket federation matches. But five of those years have been suspended on condition Bodi “commits no further offences under the code and demonstrates to CSA’s reasonable satisfaction he has actively and constructively participated in corruption-related player education programmes when asked to do so”.

“Our attitude to corruption will always be one of zero tolerance,” CSA chief executive officer Haroon Lorgat told a news conference.

“There is no doubt that Mr Bodi’s actions have threatened the integrity and image of the game that we love and he must be handed a strong punishment. We have had many discussions with Mr Bodi and he accepts the folly of his actions.

We are fortunate in this instance that several players rejected his approaches.”

Investigators looking into the corruption scandal were understood to have spoken to 47 players and staff in the country, with two active former Test cricketers among those believed to have been involved.

Lorgat did not reveal if any players were being investigated for their potential roles in the saga, but CSA did confirm “certain aspects of the investigation are on-going”.

The 37-year-old was charged under its anti-corruption code by CSA for contriving to fix, or otherwise improperly influence aspects of the 2015 Ram Slam T20 Challenge Series.