LONDON: More than 80 international cricket matches will be investigated amid allegations that a London businessman has been running a multi-million-pound match-fixing racket. Mazhar Majeed, British property developer and sports agent, was arrested on suspicion of rigging a test match between England and Pakistan at Lords. He was released on bail earlier today but will have to appear before police at a later date.
Scotland Yard may have been tipped off a month ago about match-fixing in the first match of the England vs. Pakistan Test series at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, it has been reported.
Four Pakistan players were questioned over the weekend as part of a Scotland Yard inquiry into claims they had taken orders from Majeed to corrupt a Test match at Lord’s.
Sources said that the passports of the cricketers under investigation could be seized and that up to seven players could be questioned on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud. The rest of the squad could also be interviewed as potential witnesses.
Conspiracy to defraud carries a maximum jail term of 10 years.
England’s victory to seal the four-match series yesterday was tainted as details of the scandal emerged.
In a tabloid newspaper sting, Mr. Majeed claimed that he had been running a racket with seven players for “about two and a half years” and added “we’ve made masses and masses of money.”
According to the newspaper before the game at Lord’s, he specifically ordered two of Pakistan's players to deliver deliberate no-balls, by overstepping the crease as they bowled.
They did so exactly at the moments he pinpointed on Thursday and Friday. Mr. Majeed reportedly claimed that by tipping off betting syndicates they could place “spot” bets and make millions of pounds.
He also made more serious claims that he could arrange to have players throw test matches and one-day internationals, it is alleged.
An international newspaper disclosed that Mr. Majeed, who presents himself as a property tycoon and football club owner, owes thousands of pounds to unpaid bills and a string of companies that have closed in his wake.
Faisal Hameed, a former business partner of Mr. Majeed, said that three years ago their Croydon-based company, Bluesky Developments, which sponsored some of Pakistan's players, was dissolved after it began losing money due to the financial crisis.
Sources said that the International Cricket Council’s anti-corruption unit, whose investigators flew in from their base in Dubai yesterday, would study all 82 tests and one-day matches played by Pakistan in the period Mr. Majeed reportedly claimed to have rigged matches.
They will work with the Metropolitan Police, who are leading the inquiry into the allegation that two bowlers — Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif — deliberately bowled no-balls at Lord’s after Mr. Majeed was handed £150,000.
The team manager confirmed that detectives raided the players’ hotel on Saturday night, seizing their mobile phones. Amir, Asif, Salman Butt the team captain and Kamran Akmal the wicketkeeper have all been questioned and provided statements to police. Mr. Majeed, 35, was arrested on Saturday night on conspiracy to defraud bookmakers.
The accounts of Bluesky and Croydon Athletic football club, a non-league team owned by him, will be studied by detectives. According to the reports, Mr. Majeed boasted he laundered the proceeds of the match-fixing racket through the club.
The inquiry will be led by the Specialist and Economic Crime Department – which has also investigated MPs suspected of fraud expenses.
Commentators said that earlier tests at Edgbaston and Trent Bridge, which featured a host of no-balls, wides and dropped catches, had also raised suspicions.
President Asif Ali Zardari was said to have asked for a report from the country’s cricket board on the allegations.
After their defeat yesterday, the Pakistani players were booed by their own supporters and their bus had tomatoes thrown at it as it left Lord’s. A group of about 20 Pakistan fans directed abuse at Butt, chanting “match-fixer.”
He rejected calls for him to step down from the captaincy. “These are just allegations, anyone can say anything about anyone, that doesn’t make them true,” Butt said after the game.
In an article, Ramiz Raja, the former Pakistan captain, wrote: “The people back home are suffering because of the fight against fundamentalism and the floods… Now it is a new scandal and it has hurt the entire country because of the love and admiration they have for the players.”
Lord Condon, the former head of ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit, has previously confirmed that Pakistan’s tour of Australia last January was under investigation to assess whether the poor performance was a result of a “dysfunctional” team or “something more serious.”
Mr. Majeed’s brother and business partner, Azhar, insisted yesterday that the allegations were “just rubbish.”
Angus Fraser, England's former bowler said: “Everyone with a deep love or interest for the game will be absolutely appalled by these allegations
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