Former Test pace star and Pakistan cricket coach Geoff Lawson has called for Australian drug cheats and match-fixers to be jailed.
The one suspected case of match-fixing uncovered by the Australian Crime Commission is believed to be a rugby league game played in Sydney.
Three Pakistan Test cricketers, former captain Salman Butt and fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer, were jailed in 2011 for their parts in a spot-fixing conspiracy involving the deliberate bowling of no-balls in the 2010 series in England.
“I would hope those found guilty of drugs cheating or match fixing in this country suffer a similar fate,” said Lawson, speaking at the Northcott Cricket Legends lunch in Sydney on Friday.
“Jail time is a pretty serious thing and I know those (Pakistani) guys who went to jail.
“I can imagine being in Wandsworth prison for three months or six months would be a pretty harrowing experience, but a great example had been set – don’t get me wrong.
“I didn’t see any examples of that (fixing) when I was coaching (Pakistan in 2007-08).”
Lawson said cricket history was littered with instances of match-fixing, but felt Australia was better positioned than anywhere else in the world to deal with such a problem.
“In the 18th century, they wanted cricket banned as a recreation because there was too much betting on it, so nothing has changed from that point of view.
“We have lawful betting agencies that record every bet.
“We’ve got to be careful in this country, that we continue to regulate our betting.
“Lots of betting agencies are sponsoring our sports and that’s a very interesting ethical issue.
“But I think in this country, we are much better off than anywhere else because we know who puts the bet on.”
Hughster
Guest
You make an excellent point Brian, about the higher standard of proof that maybe required. However I think the answer is in our hands.............the remote control. Perhaps if we all made a statement by not watching a game (whatever code) those that get the greatest economic benefit from consumption of sport would drive reform. If buying the right brand of tinned tuna saves dolphins imagine what could be achieved if sports fans refused to watch the opening round of the major football codes. It would send a clear message to everyone to get their act together and stop treating fans as if they were merely occupying seats at the colleseum. Here's an idea, spend a couple of hours helping your local junior club get ready for the season rather than sitting in front of the tele. Lets remind ourselves how and why sport brings communities together.
dasilva
Guest
You can still have enough evidence for WADA and other sporting bodies banning the player for PED used but not enough evidence for the players being jailed.
dasilva
Guest
I'm not too sure about PED because some of these drugs are legal for the general public to used but we are then jailing professional athletes for using the drugs. What if an athlete took pseudoephedrine tablet (stimulant but also used as a nasal decongestant that is available over the counter although requires a drivers license to be document) or let say the athlete used a corticosteroid cream used over the counter. Sure the athlete deserves a sporting penalty and be suspended from professional sport but jailing someone is incredible harsh for doing something completely legal Although I'm ok with match fixing though because it is defrauding the public. I see match fixing as a far greater crime than doping (at least with doping, it shows that the athletes see the event as a valuable tournament that they try hard to win and at least they entertain the public with their performance enhanced skills, match fixing where athletes tries to lose demeans the event and rips off the public and turns the contest into a farce).
Brian
Guest
I agree but you need to be careful because mandatory jail would increase the burden of proof. Nothing worse than criminals getting off due to lack of evidence
Arthur fonzarelli.
Guest
Match and spot fixing is nothing but fraud and should certainly be an incarceration offence . Having said that I cannot believe the NSWTAB is running markets on NRL trial matches . If ever an event would be open to match fixing it would be a trial match where there is no competition points on offer and the result is irrelevant .
Hughster
Guest
The parallel should be white collar crime where the penalty should more easily include gaol time. Fines are insufficient. Business entrepeneurs will consider a fine as a transactional risk against potenital commercial benefit. Risk $10 to make $100. Make incarceration a more likely risk and behaviour will change. Hard to put a value on lost years of liberty.
Swampy
Guest
Rabbitz, perhaps if thou was born in 1854... -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download it now [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-roar/id327174726?mt=8].
Rabbitz
Roar Guru
I would have thought that Australian drug cheats and match fixers would be gaoled, not jailed... (Despite how the americanised spell-checkers might have it).
AndyMack
Guest
um, hate to be one of those guys, but Mohammed Aamer was not jailed. Just the other two. I have to say though, i have no tolerance for cheats, and have no issuw with them being sent to jail. Good example for others and all that.....