Former Zimbabwe cricket captain Brendan Taylor has been hit with a three-and-a-half-year ban after revealing he was blackmailed into fixing matches by Indian businessmen who filmed him taking cocaine and used it on him.
Former Zimbabwe batsman Brendan Taylor has been banned from all cricket for three-and-a-half years after he admitted receiving a $15,000 “deposit” for rigging spots, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Friday.
Taylor said he was blackmailed and never made the arrangement and was coerced into accepting money from an Indian businessman in October 2019.
Spot-fixing refers to the manipulation of part of a game to provide a given result for betting purposes. The 35-year-old added that it took him four months to report the incident to the ICC’s anti-corruption unit because he feared for his safety.
In addition to four ICC anti-corruption code violations, Taylor has also been charged with anti-doping code violations after testing positive for the stimulant benzoylecognine, a metabolite of cocaine, in an in-competition test conducted. September 8, 2021.
“Brendan is a former international captain who represented Zimbabwe for 17 years,” said ICC Integrity Unit Chief Executive Alex Marshall.
Former Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor has been suspended from all cricketing for three and a half years
Taylor, 35, confessed to collecting a $15,000 ‘deposit’ for a one-time repair in October 2019
“During such a long career, he attended many anti-corruption and anti-doping education sessions and knew exactly what his obligations were under the ICC anti-corruption and anti-doping codes.
“It is disappointing that a player of his experience chose not to fulfill these obligations, but he accepted all the charges, which was reflected in the sanction.
Taylor, who played for Zimbabwe in 34 Tests, 205 one-dayers and 45 T20s, retired from international cricket in September.
In an exclusive interview with sports mailTaylor lifted the lid on the specific conversations that took place during the scandal and revealed he was “afraid for my own safety”.
In a lengthy statement about the scandal, Taylor revealed photos were taken to coerce him
“Two bigger guys were still hiding, surrounding me. I felt very claustrophobic around my personal space. I was afraid for my own safety. my life forever,” he said.
“At that time Zimbabwe was suspended by the ICC for government interference and I had no income. I was six months without pay, there were rumors that we would not be allowed to play for two years , and all I was trying to do was put food on the table Prepare for life after playing.
“That’s why I went there. I had told them many times that if there was any scheming, they shouldn’t waste time taking me there. That I wasn’t wired that way.
Taylor received the agreed-upon fee and said to consider it a down payment, with the remaining $20,000 to be paid once the “work” was completed.
It took Taylor four months to report the incident and was convicted by the ICC
“When I tried to return it and tell them it wasn’t for me, I was told that was how it was going to be and I would work for them. Their characters had completely changed, and I thought, ‘shit, I have to get out of here.’
“My suitcases were packed as I was literally on my way to the airport. From their tone of voice, I felt that if I had resisted any longer, it wasn’t certain where things could have gone. finish, so I tried to think of the safest option.
“I thought it was to tell them, ‘OK, I’m going to work with you now’ and then walk out. Once on the plane, I felt like they couldn’t touch me. Or hurt me in any way. I acted out of fear.
“I may be many things, but I’m not a cheater.”
