NAIROBI, May 19: A Kenyan lawyer on Wednesday accused the International Cricket Council (ICC) of applying double standards in probing cases of match-fixing against players.
Making his objections in Nairobi in a preliminary hearing against former Kenyan captain Maurice Odumbe, lawyer Ishan Kapila said the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit had violated the rules of justice against his client.
"Although Odumbe had admitted his dealings with Indian businessman Jagdish Sodhi, whom he did not know was a bookmaker, he had not taken money to throw away matches," Kapila said.
"There is discrepancy in the attitude they have taken against a lesser known player when top cricketers, who had open dealings with well-known bookmakers, have not been charged with any offence," Kapila said.
"The offence of inappropriate conduct against Odumbe is vaguely worded. It is not possible to get reasons that the sport of cricket has been brought into disrepute" he added. Presiding over the hearing which lasted over four hours at a Nairobi hotel, former Zimbabwean High Court judge Ahmed Ebrahim set the ruling for July 27. -AFP
