Cricket South Africa will consider reviewing aspects of the 2015-16 domestic T20 matchfixing scandal if evidence emerges that any of the seven players who admitted guilt were coerced or that the investigating process was compromised. CSA indicated its willingness to relook at the probe less than 24 hours after it defended the integrity of the investigation after one of the players, Thami Tsolekile, claimed there was racial discrimination in the investigation and that he was under duress when he accepted his ban.
“If there is credible evidence that players who signed admission of guilt documents did so under duress or coercion, without full due process, or if the process was compromised in any way, CSA will ensure that the relevant bodies give these issues appropriate attention, and will review the cases as appropriate,” a CSA statement said.
Tsolekile, who is serving a 12-year ban for his role in contriving to fix matches during the 2015 Ram Slam competition, spoke on Marawa Sport Worldwide and named two other white players, Vaughn van Jaarsveld and Robbie Frylinck as also being involved in matchfixing and went unpunished. Yesterday CSA revealed that van Jaarsveld was one of two whistleblowers while no evidence was found to tie Frylinck to wrongdoing. Judge Bernard Ngoepe, who chaired the investigation, strongly denied any racial bias.
Since then, former Test opener Alviro Petersen, who was banned for two year, posted on Twitter that he had given CSA an ultimatum to respond to him by 10am on Saturday or he would go public with evidence of bias in the matchfixing investigation. Petersen subsequently posted that CSA heavyweights had been in touch with him. CSA have been contacted for comment but have, in the meanwhile, issued a statement indicating that all allegations of improper process are being taken seriously.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo