Banned Bodi was in planning phase

Stuart Hess and

Lungani Zama

Cricket South Africa (csa) said yesterday they believed no matches were fixed in this season’s RamSlam and that Gulam Bodi’s attempts to do so were caught “in the planning phase”.

Bodi has admitted to attempting to fix matches in the T20 competition and was yesterday banned from all cricket activities by CSA for 20 years.

The investigations into match-fixing in that tournament are continuing and it is understood Bodi is co-operating with the investigation and that more names will be revealed.

“The evidence we’ve got and the confession made by Bodi suggest we caught this in a planning phase and no fixes have been activated,” CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat said yesterday.

CSA claimed Bodi was an “intermediary” for an illegal gambling organisation attempting to fix matches in this season’s RamSlam competition.

That event is the only South African domestic competition broadcast overseas, to England, the US and, perhaps more significantly, the subcontinent.

Bodi’s ban was enforced after he admitted charges of “contriving or attempting to fix matches”, in the RamSlam. He was charged on December 31 last year.

Under the terms of the ban, Bodi, who played two one-day internationals and a T20 match for South Africa, cannot be involved with any function and match – domestic or international – in any way. Five years of his ban have been suspended unless he is found guilty of the same offence.

“CSA thoroughly considered all the relevant factors and determined that a lengthy ban was appropriate”, said Lorgat.

“There is no doubt that Mr Bodi’s actions have threatened the integrity and image of the game that we love and he must be handed a strong punishment.”