Former Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor has been banned from all forms of cricket for three and a half years after accepting four counts of breaking the ICC Anti-Corruption Code and one charge of breaking the Anti-Doping Code.
Taylor played in 284 international matches for Zimbabwe, between 2004 and 2021, amassing 9,938 runs with 17 centuries.
He accepted the fines after confessing to multiple anti-corruption violations, four offences to be specific, as well as a separate allegation of anti-doping violations for a positive test result for the stimulant Benzoylecognine, a cocaine metabolite, in September of last year.
“Mr Taylor chose to admit the charges under the provisions of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code and agreed a sanction with the ICC in lieu of an Anti-Corruption Tribunal hearing,” the ICC stated in an official media release,
“His violation under the ICC Anti-Doping Code, which is separate and independent of the anti-corruption charges, resulted from an In-Competition test conducted on 8 September 2021 following Zimbabwe’s match against Ireland. Mr Taylor tested positive for the stimulant Benzoylecognine, a cocaine metabolite, which is specified as a Substance of Abuse under the Code.”
As per the ICC, the first of Taylor’s anti-corruption breaches was for failing to disclose “(without unnecessary delay) the receipt of any gift, payment, hospitality or other benefits that (a) the participant knew or should have known was given to them to procure a breach of the Code or (b) that was made or given in circumstances that could bring the participant or the sport of cricket into disrepute”.
Taylor was also guilty of not disclosing “(without unnecessary delay), a receipt of gifts/hospitality with a value of US$750 or more regardless of the circumstances in which they were given”.
The third charge was not disclosing “(without unnecessary delay), full details of the approach received to engage in corrupt conduct under the Code” including in relation to a then upcoming series against Sri Lanka and/or Bangladesh.
In the fourth charge, Taylor breached the Code by obstructing or delaying an Anti-Corruption Unit investigation, including “concealing, tampering with or destroying any documentation or other information that may be relevant to that investigation and/or that may be evidence of or may lead to the discovery of evidence of corrupt conduct under the ICC Anti-Corruption Code”.
Taylor also accepted that his delay in reporting the approach to the ICC was unacceptable under the Code, and he advised other players to report similar instances to the ICC as soon as they occur. Taylor, on the other hand, has denied ever cheating in international cricket.
“I would like to place on the record that I have never been involved in any form of match fixing,” said Taylor in his statement.
Speaking on the ban of the Zimbabwe player, Alex Marshall, ICC General Manager of the Integrity Unit said: “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.”
Prior to the conclusion of the ICC inquiry, the former cricketer issued a personal statement on social media in which he claimed he was given a US$15,000 deposit for spot-fixing and that he would have been paid another US$20,000 after the completion of the said “job”.
The anti-doping charge was issued apart from the anti-corruption charge as a consequence of an in-competition test done following Zimbabwe’s match against Ireland on September 8, 2021. Taylor accepted a one-month suspension for this offence, with his suspension reduced to a month since he was able to prove that he consumed the chemical outside of competition and that it had no impact on his athletic performance.
Taylor is also getting therapy for his addiction. Moreover, Taylor will be permitted to rejoin playing cricket on July 28, 2025, after serving a one-month suspension in addition to his three-and-a-half-year ban.
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