Alviro Petersen implicated with match-fixing charges by Cricket South Africa

In a news that may come as a shocker for many, South African Alviro Petersen has been charged with match-fixing by the Cricket South Africa’s Anti-Corruption Unit for breaching of its Anti-Corruption Code for Personnel. The right-handed opener had previously confirmed his role as the whistleblower in the match-fixing affair and after getting in contact with middleman Gulam Bodi and the syndicate looking to manipulate matches in South Africa’s domestic Twenty20 competition.

Alviro Petersen, aged 35, has been charged with:

-Contriving to fix or otherwise improperly influence, or being party to a scheme in which attempts would be made to fix or otherwise improperly influence, a match or matches in the 2015 RAM SLAM T20 Challenge Series;

-Seeking to accept, accepting or agreeing to accept a bribe or reward to fix or contrive to fix or influence improperly a match or matches in the 2015 RAM SLAM T20 Challenge Series;

-Failing to disclose to the Designated Anti-Corruption Official (without unnecessary delay) full details of any approaches or invitations to engage in Corrupt Conduct under the Code;

-Failure to disclose to the Designated Anti-Corruption Official (without unnecessary delay) full details of any incident or fact that may evidence Corrupt Conduct under the Code by another participant;

-Nine counts of failing to disclose (without unnecessary delay) accurate and complete information and/or documentation to the Designated Anti-Corruption Official;

-Obstructing or delaying the investigation by concealing, tampering with or destroying information or documentation relevant to the investigation.

Petersen has fourteen days to respond to the charges under the provisions of the Code.

Under Article 4.7 of the Code, CSA has provisionally suspended Petersen from playing, coaching or otherwise being involved in any capacity in any match under its jurisdiction or that of the ICC or any other ICC member.

In terms of Article 8.1 of the Code and in terms of standard practice, CSA will not make any further comment in respect of the matter.

In the wake of the fixing revelations, Petersen, who retired from international cricket last January after opening the batting in 36 Tests, said in a tweet that he had reported the matter to an anti-corruption officer three days after he had become aware of the fixing scandal. Petersen’s stance regarding the whole put the Anti-corruption unit with a complicated decision of finding out Petersen’ s real intentions.

In January, Bodi was banned from all cricket-related activities for 20 years by CSA, five of which are suspended. But he remains the only person to be named by the organisation, despite the fact that the investigation is about to enter its fifth month. Some had assumed that it was done and dusted in August, when CSA released the names of four players whose suspensions for their part in the 2015-16 domestic match-fixing scandal ranged from between seven and 12 years.

Jean Symes, the Lions left-hand batsman, was banned for seven years in August, while Pumi Matshikwe, his teammate, was banned for ten, three of which were suspended. Fellow fast-bowler Ethy Mbhalati was also banned for 10 years while Thami Tsolekile, who had a brief stint under Ray Jennings as the national team’s wicketkeeper in 2004, was banned for 12 years.

Tsolekile’s ban, the most stringent of the bunch, was for “contriving to fix a match or matches in the 2015 RAM SLAM; failing to disclose to the CSA Anti-Corruption Officer the full details of an approach to engage in corrupt conduct; failing to disclose full details of matters evidencing a breach of the Code by another participant.”

Tsolekile, who captained the Lions in the tournament in question, is now understood to be a key element in an investigation which has now run for almost a year.

Bodi, the original culprit implicated in the scandal and the first to be suspended, has become increasingly marginal the further the investigation has progressed. Bodi served as the middleman between some players and at least one group of fixers in the months leading up to the 2015-16 Ram Slam Twenty20 competition and was handed a 20-year ban by CSA in January.

Another player implicated in the saga, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, the former South African fast bowler, has not been contracted by any of the South African franchises for the current season.