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| November 5, 2001 | Monday | haba’an 18, 1422 |
Spy cameras in changing rooms approved
LONDON Nov 4: The International Cricket Council has approved the use of spy cameras in dressing rooms as part of measures to crack down on match-fixing, according a report in the Sunday Telegraph.
The cameras were approved by the ICC in its recent meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and would be in place in time for England’s home tests against India next year, the paper reported. Video surveillance would not be used on England’s upcoming tour of India.
The recommendations, which are expected to be adopted by all countries, also include the banning of all mobile telephones, except the team manager’s, in dressing rooms, all telephone calls to players to be screened and the posting of security guards at team hotels and dressing rooms.
Other measures include visitors signing in and out of team hotels and increased security at neutral venues, such as Sharjah. Five security officers will also be contracted to the ICC to cover two Test nations, for example one to cover Australia and New Zealand.
David Graveney, joint chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers Association and England’s chief selector, expressed concerns about the cameras and telephone measures.
“It seems to be an extension of the (anti-corruption) Condon report and we will be writing to the ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed to express our reservations,” Graveney told The Sunday Telegraph.
“I can understand why the ICC are looking to bring provisions in to deal with match-fixing, but there’s a fine line between protecting the game and intruding into player’s private lives.”
Former England captain Graham Gooch was against cameras in the dressing room.
“It’s the one area where a player can be alone to do and say what he wants confidentially with the coach and manager,” Gooch told the newspaper. “And I can’t really see what it would achieve. Players can’t be supervised for 24 hours and if they want to get up to wrongdoing, they will find ways.”—APP/AP
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