South African cricketer Gulam Bodi banned for 20 years for involvement in match-fixing

India-born South African cricketer Gulam Bodi has been banned for 20 years by Cricket South Africa for his involvement in match-fixing, FirstPost reports. The 37-year-old, who had represented South Africa in 2 ODIs and a T20I in 2006, had been charged by the CSA as being an “intermediary” for betting syndicates in December 2015.

The charges relate to the match-fixing scandal surrounding the 2015 Ram Slam tournament – South Africa’s premier T20 competition. Reports had emerged two weeks back that two active Proteas Test players were also involved but as of now it is Bodi, who retired from cricket in 2015, who has been banned from any involvement in cricket related activities for a period of 20 years.

"Bodi is immediately banned for a period of 20 years from participating in, or being involved in any capacity in, any international or domestic match or any other kind of function, event or activity (other than authorised anti-corruption education or rehabilitation programmes) that is authorised, organised, sanctioned, recognised or supported in any way by CSA, the ICC, a National Cricket Federation or any member of a National Cricket Federation," the CSA said in a statement.

"Five of those years are suspended on condition that Bodi commits no further offences under the Code and demonstrates to CSA's reasonable satisfaction that he has actively and constructively participated in corruption-related player education programmes when asked to do so," it added.

Bodi has been given time until 18 January 2016 to respond to the charges

CSA Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat elaborated that Bodi, who had been given time until 18 January 2016 to respond to the charges raised against him, was given his due before taking an appropriate decision on the matter.

"CSA thoroughly considered all the relevant factors and determined that a lengthy ban was appropriate," Lorgat said. "Our attitude to corruption will always be one of zero tolerance. There is no doubt that Mr Bodi's actions have threatened the integrity and image of the game that we love and he must be handed a strong punishment. We have had many discussions with Mr Bodi and he accepts the folly of his actions.”

Lorgat thanked the players who had rejected Bodi’s approach and reported the corrupt approach to the concerned authorities and hoped that Bodi himself will learn from his mistakes and help the CSA in educating the next generation about the perils of being involved in such activities.

“ We are fortunate in this instance that several players rejected his approaches and, as a direct result of our integrity processes, which include CSA and SACA player education programmes, the matter was brought to light and meticulously investigated.”

“There are no winners in this sort of ill-fated and unfortunate matter. However, all of us in the cricket community must learn from this experience and remain vigilant. We expect that that Mr Bodi himself will learn and will actively assist us in reminding players of the dangers of corrupt behaviour," said Lorgat.