Indian origin cricketer Gulam Bodi banned for fixing

Johannesburg: Gulam Bodi, an Indian-origin South African cricketer was charged with several accounts of contriving or attempting to fix matches following an investigation conducted by CSA's Anti Corruption and Security Unit.

Under the provisions of the Anti-Corruption Code for Personnel, Bodi had until January 18 to respond to the charges.

After he admitted charges of contriving or attempting to fix matches in the 2015 RAM SLAM T20 Challenge Series, CSA banned him for a period of twenty years from participating in, or being involved in any capacity in,any international or domestic match or any other kind of function, event or activity that is authorised, organised, sanctioned, recognised or supported in any way by CSA, the ICC, a National Cricket Federation or any member of National Cricket Federation or any member of a National Cricket Federation.

Though ,commentators there felt that the admission of guilt by Bodi was a strategy to protect the player from criminal prosecution which could lead to large fines or even a jail sentence if he is convicted.

"The decision by Bodi to cooperate in the continuing investigation by CSA and the ICC might be a kind of tactic on his part to avoid criminal prosecution by showing some level of remorse," said a former teammate and friend of Bodi on condition of anonymity.

"Of late with a family to feed and no serious income from playing cricket, Bodi had resorted to trying to sell real estate abroad, including Dubai and India as an agent, which might have put him in contact with the match-fixing cartels there," added the friend.

There were reports that even players who had been approached by Bodi but declined his offer and did not report this could be charged with not complying with CSA requirements.

But CSA Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat confirmed that the investigation would continue although both CSA and ICC would not comment any further on the matter.(Inputs from agencies)