ACB "disturbed" over prostitution claims

The Australian Cricket Board said on Monday it was "disturbed" by claims from a former Pakistan player that an Australian bookmaker used prostitutes to help persuade foreign players to under-perform in matches.

Britain's The Observer newspaper reported at the weekend that Qasim Omar alleged that prominent players, including national team captains, had sex with prostitutes in Sydney hotels as part of crooked deals.

ACB chief executive Malcolm Speed said in a prepared statement that the allegations related to the period of 1984 to 1987 and did not involve Australian players or officials.

"The International Cricket Council Anti-Corruption Unit has confirmed to the ACB that this investigation is focusing on foreign players and officials," Speed said.

"Two members of the unit have confirmed that no current or former Australian players or official is under investigation."

Speed said the ICC Unit, led by former commissioner of London's metropolitan police Sir Paul Condon, will seek to interview the prostitutes next month. The ICC will have its quarterly meeting in Melbourne next month.

Speed said the most disturbing aspect of the claims was the suggestion an Australian bookmaker was involved.

"Clearly the ACB would be very interested to know if this person exists," Speed said.

"If he does and he is still working as a bookmaker we want to be able to ensure that he no longer has anything to do with the game of cricket."

In a separate inquiry, current Australian batsman Mark Waugh has been asked to speak with investigators as part of a worldwide investigation into match-fixing.

The ACB said their own independent investigator, Greg Melick, also wanted to question Waugh on allegations he took money from an illegal Indian bookmaker.

Waugh has denied the allegations and agreed to co-operate with the inquiry.

Speed said Omar had given a list of the names of 23 prostitutes to the ICC.

The deals were struck in hotels and restaurants in Sydney and Melbourne.

"No I have no idea who it is. The former player claims to have the name of 23 prostitutes and the bookmaker and he claims to have given them to the ICC so it really falls to them to investigate that," Speed told Australian Broadcasting Corp. Radio.

"I don't think that the Australian public should in any way feel that cricket's reputation is damaged by this.

"What is disturbing is the suggestion that matches in which Australia have played in that period may have not been played fully on their merits.

"That's disturbing for cricket administrators and it will be disturbing for cricket fans. Our focus is on Australia, on our team at present.

"(Captain) Steve Waugh has said a number of times that whenever the Australian team plays they are going flat out and I don't think we can get a better assurance than that from our captain."

Australia have won their past 15 Tests, a world record.

Mail Cricket Editor