Voges backs 'match-fix' amnesty
Cricket Australia's decision to offer an amnesty in a bid to stamp out match-fixing and doping has been backed by WA captain Adam Voges who said efforts to stop corruption should be applauded.
CA yesterday announced the move to tackle the greatest scourge afflicting the game, less than four months out from the 2015 World Cup being hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
Players or officials who come forward during a grace period running until the end of November to report past incidents will have bans waived under terms announced in partnership with the Australian Cricketers' Association.
The move is a significant departure from the traditional hardline stance. Players who had failed to disclose details concerning a breach of the Anti-Corruption Code typically faced bans of up to five years.
The amnesty will not apply to those who have committed illegal acts themselves.
New Zealand is considering following Australia's lead.
Voges, whose 31 one-day and seven Twenty20 matches for Australia have taken him to New Zealand, the UK and India, threw his support behind the decision.
"Any move that helps eliminate any corruption in the game I think is a good move," Voges said.
"From my own personal point of view it's something that I've never encountered.
"We all know it's there, but it's something I've never seen.
"But like I said, the corruption in the game, I've got no doubt that all players want it stamped out and any move that we can do like this to be pro-active in helping eliminate that is a good thing.
"It'd be interesting to know if any players do actually come forward during that period."
A reporting hotline for players, officials and administrators to provide information securely has been set up.
The decision comes 24 hours after New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum confirmed he would testify against Chris Cairns at his former teammate's perjury trial in London next year.
Another former Kiwi international, Lou Vincent, was banned from cricket for life in June after being found guilty of match- fixing.
Vincent alleged at the time that a "world-famous international" labelled "Player X" had lured him into a murky world of corruption that included offers of cash and sex to rig matches.
CA's senior manager of integrity Iain Roy said the amnesty aimed to encourage more dialogue between players and anti-corruption officials.
"We need to ensure the Australian public has full faith in the integrity of the game and the way it is administered," Roy said.
"While we have a culture of reporting, we think there are still some who are not as forthcoming as we would like."
