Cricketers warned about World Cup 'honey traps'
Cricketers coming down under for next year’s World Cup have been warned about potential ‘honey traps’ set up by underworld criminals.
According to the New Zealand Herald, cricket match fixers will attempt to obtain sexually incriminating photos of high-profile players that can be used to blackmail them.
The 50-over tournament will be held in Australia and New Zealand, and kiwi police are reportedly on high alert.
Superintendent Sandra Manderson, the officer in charge of police operations during the World Cup, says blackmail has become a key weapon for match fixers, and sexually incriminating images are at the top of their list.
“We know they bring in women into the country to fraternise with players,” Sanderson said.
“Afterwards, they’ll ask the players to do something and if they refuse they’ll say, ‘Well, see these photographs? They will be with your wife, your neighbours, your parents.
“There are millions and millions of dollars at stake in match fixing.”
Players were similarly warned about honey traps during last year’s Twenty20 Champions League in India.
Cheerleaders from Russia and Ukraine were originally planned to be flown over, but the move was canned over fears about links to organised crime.
When the IPL was first introduced, cheerleaders were widespread at every game, but officials have since toned down the entertainment after news of players frequently ‘mixing’ with them after games.
Cup organisers will certainly have their work cut out for them in cracking down on match fixing during the tournament.
A number of scandals have rocked the game recently, and statistics released by The Courier-Mail reveal that punters forked out more than $600 million on last summer’s Twenty20 Big Bash.
