Windies chief slams Sarwan corruption rumours

Thursday, 21 April 2011 00:22 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

GROS-ISLET, Saint Lucia (AFP) - West Indies cricket official Ernest Hilaire has blamed irresponsible reporting for rumours that batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan was being investigated for match-fixing.

Hilaire was responding to an open letter from Guyana’s Minister of Sport, Frank Anthony, which criticised the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) for failing to protect Sarwan from the damaging allegations.

Anthony had written the letter to the WICB seeking clarification on the matter, which made headlines in a few sections of the Caribbean media.

“When properly assessed, the situation is to be blamed squarely on an erratic and unprofessional approach from some irresponsible media operatives, who reproduced the information from (an) anonymous blog without bothering to verify the source or veracity of what was before them,” said Hilaire, the chief executice officer of the WICB.

Hilaire informed the minister that the WICB had not spoken publicly about the matter because it does not have the authority to comment on such issues.

“It is the exclusive purview of the the International Cricket Council,” he said.

“In any event, if the WICB were to comment on every accusation, story, rumour, or suspicion expressed in the media or blogs, it would be a never-ending exercise of responses.”

He added: “The WICB is in possession of information from time to time on anti-corruption matters and I am sure you would agree that it would be inappropriate to distribute such information either to confirm or deny ongoing investigations or suspicions.”