Ex-Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardena questioned his former colleague Sanath Jayasuriya's decision to not cooperate with the ICC anti-corruption investigation immediately and clear his name.
"Its a sad day for SL cricket to see one of their favourite sons getting a two-year suspension from the ICC," Jayawardena tweeted yesterday after the global cricket governing body slapped Jayasuriya with a ban for failing to promptly cooperate with an anti-corruption investigation.
"Why not cooperate? If anyone loves the beautiful game in our country should expose the corrupted so we protect the next generation," Jayawardena, one of the most respected Sri Lankan cricketers of his generation, also added.
ICC imposed a ban on Jayasuriya after the latter admitted to being in breach of the following provisions of the code.
- Article 2.4.6 – Failure or refusal, without compelling justification, to cooperate with any investigation carried out by the ACU, including failure to provide accurately and completely any information and/or documentation requested by the ACU as part of such investigation.
- Article 2.4.7 – Obstructing or delaying any investigation that may be carried out by the ACU, including concealing, tampering with or destroying any documentation or other information that may be relevant to that investigation and/or that may be evidence or may lead to the discovery of evidence of corrupt conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code.
As a result of the admissions, he has accepted a sanction of a two-year period of ineligibility.
Alex Marshall, ICC General Manager – ACU said: “This conviction under the Code demonstrates the importance of participants in cricket cooperating with investigations. Compelling participants to cooperate under the Code is a vital weapon in our efforts to rid our sport of corruptors. These rules are essential to maintaining the integrity of our sport.
