Sri Lanka’s most sought after voice in the affairs of Cricket, Arjuna Ranatunga, has accused the International Cricket Council (ICC) of practicing duplicity by coming down hard on players over match-fixing but preferring to ignore officials involved in corruption.
Ranatunga made the remarks at a Press conference that coincided with the visit of the ICC’s Chief Executive Jeff Allardice to Sri Lanka on Thursday.
“We sent the Auditor General’s Report and the Kusala Sarojini Report to the ICC (over financial abuse at Sri Lanka Cricket) and asked them to give us the opportunity to discuss the matter, but they (ICC) told us they have to get clearance from SLC.
“When players are involved in match-fixing they (ICC) come down hard on them but when officials are corrupt the ICC prefers to close their eyes. The ICC should know that the Auditor General is an independent person in Sri Lanka. He is not even under the President of this country.
“He is the authority who takes care of government institutions who can identity corrupt people. It is so sad the ICC does not recognize the value of the Auditor General in this country. It seems the ICC is protecting the corrupt guys”, said Ranatunga.
He lashed out at past Sri Lanka cricketers who have left the fight to clean up corruption solely in his hands.
“Past cricketers don’t talk because they are involved in coaching, mentoring, commentaries. I must be the only guy who fights against these (corrupt) people”, said Ranatunga.
