ICC charges former West Indies cricketer for breaching anti-corruption code

The International Cricket Council on Wednesday charged former West Indies all-rounder Marlon Samuels of breaching four counts of the anti-corruption code during a T10 league, including failure to disclose hospitality benefits that could bring disrepute to the sport.

The game's governing body charged the West Indian on behalf of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), the organizer of the T10 League which is four seasons old.

"Samuels will be given a time period of 14 days to respond to the charges," an ICC release said. The 40-year-old Samuels played 71 Tests, 207 ODIs and 67 T20Is in his international career, scoring 11,134 runs and taking 152 wickets. He retired from international cricket in November 2020.

According to the ICC, Samuels breached articles 2.4.2, 2.4.3, 2.4.6 and 2.4.7 of the Code. The three articles deal with failure to disclose to the Anti-Corruption Official, receipt of any gift, payment, hospitality or other benefits that were made or given in circumstances that "could bring the participant or the sport of cricket into disrepute", non-cooperation with the investigation, and obstructing or delaying the investigation by "concealing information that may have been relevant..."

The T10 league's latest edition was held in Abu Dhabi in January-February earlier this year. Samuels was a part of the event in 2019 when he turned up for Karnataka Tuskers, which was led by South African star Hashim Amla.