daniel chigunwe
Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
UGLIER details were unravelled by the International Cricket Council yesterday when they revealed that disgraced former Zimbabwe cricket captain, Brendan Taylor, tried to destroy evidence and frustrate investigations into his case of match-fixing and substance abuse.
The former wicket-keeper/batsman was yesterday slapped with a three-and-half-year ban by the world cricket body after he was found guilty of breaching four charges of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code and, separately, one charge of the ICC Anti-Doping Code.
The 35-year-old, who had been a role model to many in the last two decades, this week shocked the cricket world when he confessed to his involvement with shadowy Indian bookmakers and problems with cocaine addiction.
The ICC judgment yesterday laid bare almost all the details, some of which had either been omitted or misrepresented in the statement released by the retired cricketer on Monday.
Taylor had claimed that an Indian businessman (referred to as Mr S in the ICC investigations) tricked him into the shadowy practices after inviting him to India on a business trip to “discuss sponsorship and a possible launch of a T20 competition in Zimbabwe”.
The jaunt ended in a “farewell party” where the retired cricketer found himself joining his associates in indulging in cocaine, apart from other drinks. The retired cricketer claimed he was paid US$15 000 by his hosts for the trip.
According to his statement, his hosts then turned against him the following morning and were demanding that he be complicit in their match-fixing schemes.
He said he was blackmailed and was given two options – either he had to be complicit in spot-fixing or videos of him taking cocaine that were clandestinely captured the previous evening would be made viral. The incident took place in October 2019.
But the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) established that Taylor knew and accepted to be part of the match-fixing shenanigans and was paid for the specific purpose.
He was even tasked with recruiting one more player ahead of Zimbabwe’s series with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka which were supposed to take place in February-March last year.
“In his initial report to the ACU, Mr Taylor made no mention of any discussion around corruption with (Mr S) at any point during the trip although he did mention the receipt of the US$15 000 on each occasion he spoke to the ACU,” reads part of the ICC judgment.
“In his initial interviews, Mr Taylor stated that the $15 000 payment was effectively a payment for his services in travelling to India, basically an appearance fee.
“In subsequent interviews, however, Mr Taylor changed his story and accepted that while he had initially travelled to India believing that he would be paid an appearance fee of US$15000, at the end of his trip when the payment was actually made to him, it followed a discussion around corruption and a request for him to be involved in corrupting matches in exchange for payment, with the payment being made as a deposit for his involvement in corruption.
“Mr Taylor has stated that it was never his intention to carry out any fixing for (Mr S) and he did not do so, however, while he initially said no to (Mr S’s) approach, he ended up agreeing to the offer and accepting the US$ 15 000.
“Mr Taylor said that he did so because he felt he had no choice because after he initially said no, (Mr S) told Mr Taylor that he ([Mr S) had a compromising video of Mr Taylor which he would release to the media and Mr Taylor’s wife unless Mr Taylor did some work with him.
“Throughout the course of his interviews, Mr Taylor stated that he only accepted the money (i) because it was his appearance fee for travelling to India, and (ii) he felt threatened and scared and he did not know what (Mr S) or his associates would do if he refused the money, so he therefore took the money so he could get out of the room, although he never intended to go through with anything.
“At this point Mr Taylor had not reported any of this to the ACU as he was required to do under the Code. Mr Taylor next heard from (Mr S) in mid-March 2020, while he was on tour with Zimbabwe in Bangladesh, when (Mr S) called him and told him that while he had not worked for him before that point, now was the time to do so.
“Mr Taylor stated that he refused to do any work (which he understood to be a reference to fixing) for (Mr S) to which (Mr S) responded by again threatening to release the video to the TV and radio, as well as his wife. (Mr S) then asked Mr Taylor to return the money and they could call it quits. This was followed up by a message from (Mr S) to Mr Taylor again threatening to release the video because he had refused to do any work for him.”
The ICC was livid that Taylor, who has attended “at least 13 anti-corruption education sessions” chose to act irresponsibly by failing to report the advances made to him by the corruptor.
It was only when he felt that he could not cope with the pressure that he decided to come out of his shell. To add to that, Taylor even went ahead and deleted the messages between him and the corruptors, of which information was key in the investigations.
“Following the call he received from (Mr S) in mid-March, Mr Taylor realised that he had to report this matter to the ACU (albeit late). This he did on 31 March 2020. Mr Taylor did not, however, provide full details at that time, including making no mention of any discussion around corruption.
“(ICC Official) told Mr Taylor to block (Mr S) and have no more contact with him. Following this, Mr Taylor decided to delete all of his messages with (Mr S) despite (ICC Official) not telling him to do this. Mr Taylor claimed that he did this in fear of his family finding the messages.
“As such, the ACU was deprived of the ability to review such messages, which may have been (and probably were) relevant to its investigation,” said the ICC.
Taylor accepted breaching four charges of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code and, separately, one charge of the ICC Anti-Doping Code.
What the ICC found unsettling was that Taylor has attended at least 13 anti-corruption education sessions conducted on behalf of the ICC.
These sessions contained reminders of the obligations of participants under the Code not to engage in Corrupt Conduct under the Code, including, without limitation, the duty of participants to report, without unnecessary delay, full details to the ACU of any approaches or invitations received to engage in corrupt activity.
And coming to the use of illegal substances, Taylor tested positive for the stimulant Benzoylecognine, a cocaine metabolite, which is specified as a Substance of Abuse under the Code, during Zimbabwe’s tour of the United Kingdom last September.
Taylor has accepted a one-month period of ineligibility for the violation under Article 2.1 – the minimum allowed under the Code.
His period of ineligibility was reduced to one month because he was able to establish that he had ingested the substance out of competition, that it was unrelated to sport performance, and because he is currently undergoing a rehabilitation treatment programme.
This one-month suspension will run concurrently with the suspension of three-and-a-half-years under the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. Taylor will be free to resume his involvement in the game on July 28, 2025.
ICC General Manager – Integrity Unit – Alex Marshall said he was disappointed by Taylor’s conduct.
“Brendan is a former international captain who represented Zimbabwe for 17 years. Over such a long career, he participated in numerous anti-corruption and anti-doping education sessions and knew exactly what his obligations were under the ICC Anti-Corruption and Anti-Doping Codes.
“It is disappointing that a player of his experience chose not to fulfil those obligations, however he has accepted all charges, which has been reflected in the sanction.
“I would echo Brendan’s message to other players to report approaches as soon as they happen so any corrupt activity can be disrupted at the earliest possible opportunity. We wish Brendan well in his rehabilitation,” said Marshall.
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