Zimbabwe cricket legend has been banned for eight years after being charged with multiple breaches of ICC’s anti-corruption code.
Former Zimbabwe cricket captain Heath Streak had been under investigation. He has now been charged with five breaches of ICC’s anti-corruption code, including accepting a bitcoin payment from a corruptor and leaking inside information.
Streak was investigated for an extensive list of matches from 2017 and 2018, during his tenures as a coach – from his time with Zimbabwe – as well as in T20 leagues.
The charges point at Streak acting as a facilitator of approaches from a corruptor to people within the teams he was part of. Another charge on Heath Streak is, revealing inside information pertaining to matches during the 2018 Tri-series between Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe-Afghanistan series in 2018, the 2018 IPL and the 2018 APL.
Streak is also charged with attempting to introduce four players – including a national captain – to a possible corruptor. The other charges include his failure to disclose receiving gifts or payment for the facilitation, failure to report potentially corrupt approaches in the 2017 BPL and in 2018, the PSL, IPL and the APL. Payments include accepting two bitcoins – converted into US$ 35,000 – from the potential corruptor identified in the ICC’s investigation as Mr X. Streak was also gifted a new iPhone for his wife during the APL. Streak failed to reveal this information to ICC anti-corruption investigators.
“Heath Streak is an experienced former international cricketer and national team coach, who had participated in numerous anti-corruption education sessions and was fully aware of his responsibilities under the Code.
As a former captain and coach, he held a position of trust and owed a duty to uphold the integrity of the game. He breached the Code on several occasions, including facilitating the approach of four other players. At times, he also sought to obstruct and delay our investigation.”
the ICC’s anti-corruption head Alex Marshall expressed in a statement.
Streak, who tried to contest the investigation at first, eventually admitted to all the charges and agreed to the sanctions. He is banned from all cricket activities until March 27, 2029.
“The offences did not affect the outcomes of any relevant matches and Mr Streak has agreed to assist the ICC anti-corruption education programme for which we are grateful. He has also expressed his remorse and contrition and entered this agreed sanction decision to avoid the need for a full disciplinary process. The sanction reflects this cooperation.”
