Bookies approaching players on Facebook: Anderson
July 25, 2011 by admin
Filed under Lingerie Events
London, July 25: England fast bowler James Anderson has claimed that social networking site Facebook is being used by bookmakers to approach players, a dangerous trend that the ICC is scrutinising.
Anderson’s claim came close on the heels of a statement by former Australian captain Steve Waugh that as many as 56 cricketers have been contacted by illegal bookies in the last year alone.
“We are regularly briefed by the ICC, told what to look out for and what constitutes an approach. There are strict ICC regulations about what to do if you are approached and we are all aware that it’s an offence if you don’t inform the right people if it does happen,” Anderson was quoted as saying by a leading UK newspaper.
Anderson went on to mention the process of ensnaring players.
“People approach players on the net asking to be friends, things progress from there over a period of time and the player is trapped,” he added.
Anderson, however, denied being approached by bookies himself.
“I have not come across anything like that personally but we’ve been told that players have been approached in this way in the past,” Anderson said.
“When the Anti-Corruption Security Unit (ACSU) people speak to us and tell us how big the underground betting is in India and elsewhere, it does make you realise what is actually happening out there,” he said.
The English Cricket Board confirmed that social networking sites are being monitered. “The ACSU provides players with ongoing briefings, including guidance in relation to social networking,” a release said.
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