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TRANSCRIPT OF ICC STATEMENT

Transcript of the statement read by ICC President Jagmohan Dalmiya at the press conference of the emergency meeting held at Lord's on May 3.

"The board deliberated on the issue and there was total unanimity in arriving at our decision. The deliberations were all directed to us, the top priority of ICC is not to allow the image of cricket to be affected by any unacceptable behaviour. The result of the deliberations as I said was unanimous, and result the following decisions:

The board of directors and other members were totally committed to the eradication of corruption from the game of cricket.

The inquiries which have been recently concluded, like in India and Australia, those all are already available, and the report from Pakistan will be made available within 5 weeks from now. The South African inquiry will come immediately and all the reports will be made available for final review and consideration.

The reason for the Pakistan enquiry delay - it has been explained that it was a government enquiry and Justice Qayyum has forwarded that enquiry to the president of that country and the patron of the board. The Pakistan Board has committed that it will be made available to the public within 5 weeks.

The inquiry of South Africa has not yet commenced only because now this is going to be judicial in nature and the name of a very eminent judge who will head this enquiry will be announced by the government of South Africa, and that may come out today or tomorrow.

All the boards have been advised to make further inquiries which may be necessitated because of any new evidence coming out of the enquiry.

As I said about South Africa, this is again a government enquiry. It has been decided that there will be stringent penalties which may go up to the life ban is anyone is found guilty of misbehaviour. The details of those penalties will be made available to you.

It has also been decided that all the countries will co-operate if they are under obligation to do so, but in case of any country not co-operating to the extent that it is required they have to face a suspension from playing cricket.

All international players, managers, referees, umpires, match officials, administrators and employees will be now required to give a declaration stating whether he has or has not been approached for getting involved in corruption. These declarations will be obtained on a top priority basis.

An investigating authority, which will be totally independent, and will be known as the Corruption Investigation Authority, will be set up immediately. It will be headed by a very senior experienced person, having a legal background or, having the experience in the investigation, like a QC or of that rank, and it will be done in 2 months.

This appointment will be in consultation with the chairman of ICC Code of Conduct Commission, Lord Griffiths, and once it is set up it will work independently and will directly report to the Chairman of Commission. This will be totally resourced by the ICC. The terms of reference will be drawn in consultation with Lord Griffiths.

It will be further decided that a standard registration system, will be adopted in order that all players understand the type of behaviour which are unacceptable. These were the major decisions, but the main task was that this game's image will not be allowed to suffer for any unacceptable behaviour from any quarters.

There is no place for corruption, and considering all seriousness of the present situation, it has been further resolved that the ICC will not hesitate to take any measure which it will consider needed to deal with anything that affects the game adversely."

How the world's governing body plan to tackle corruption:

An independent Anti-Corruption Investigation to be established and the ICC will appoint a senior independent experienced person with either a legal or investigative background to lead it. That appointment will take place in the next two months.

Every international player, umpire, referee, team official, administrator and employee will be asked to sign a declaration stating whether he has or has not been approached to be involved in cricket corruption of any form.

A set of stringent penalties ranging from fines to five-year and life bans have been introduced forthwith for anyone found guilty of corrupt behaviour.

The final report by Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyam into match-fixing in Pakistan, which was completed last October, be made available to the ICC within five weeks.

Every Board has been asked by the ICC to be ready to deal with any evidence which comes out of any inquiry affecting players and others within their jurisdiction.

ICC rules to be amended to allow suspension of any member country who does not co-operate with the Code of Conduct Commission.

A standard registration system will be introduced throughout the world to make it clear to all involved the types of behaviour which are unacceptable.