Former SL cricketer Lokuhettige banned for 8 years under ICC Anti-Corruption Code

Dubai: Former Sri Lanka cricketer Dilhara Lokuhettige on Monday was banned from all cricket for eight years after an ICC Anti-Corruption Tribunal found him guilty of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.

Lokuhettige’s ban is backdated to April 3, 2019, when he was provisionally suspended.

As previously announced, following full hearings and presentations of written and oral argument, the Tribunal found Lokuhettige guilty of:

Article 2.1.1 - for being party to an agreement or effort to fix or contrive or otherwise influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or other aspect(s) of a match.

Article 2.1.4 - Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach Code Article 2.1.

Article 2.4.4 - Failing to disclose to the ACU full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in corrupt conduct under the Code.

The 40-year-old has also been charged by the ICC on behalf of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) for breaching three counts of the ECB Anti-Corruption Code for Participants for the T10 League and these proceedings are ongoing.

“Having represented Sri Lanka in international cricket, Dilhara had attended a number of anti-corruption education sessions and would have known his actions were a breach of the Code,” said Alex Marshall, ICC General Manager - Integrity Unit.

“The severity of the sanction reflects the seriousness of his offences and his continued refusal to cooperate and should serve as a deterrent for anyone considering getting involved in corruption of any kind,” he added.

Lokuhettige was initially charged by the ECB on three counts of their anti-corruption code in 2018, and the board suspended him provisionally. The charges were laid on him by the ICC, on behalf of the ECB, relating to the T10 Cricket League played in the UAE in 2017.

In April 2019, the ICC provisionally suspended him on the basis of three charges of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. Subsequently, in January this year, he was proven guilty of the accusations that were laid against him.

The bowling all-rounder, who made his international debut for Sri Lanka in 2005, played 11 games for his country. (UNI)