 | We must ourselves take steps to clear up any suspicions surrounding [Bob Woolmer's] mysterious death |
A former Pakistani judge who held an inquiry into the cricket match-fixing scandal has criticised other parties for failing to stamp out the problem. Justice Malik Qayyum, who imposed a life ban on Pakistan captain Salim Malik in 2000, said it was time for a fresh inquiry into fixing allegations.
His view is based on the rumours that Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer's murder in Jamaica was a 'hit' by a betting mafia.
"I feel the hard work I did has gone down the drain," said Qayyum.
"I feel dismay and grief at his death and disappointment that not enough has been done to fight people involved in corruption in cricket."
Woolmer, 58, was found lifeless in his room on 18 March the day after a shock defeat by debutants Ireland ensured an early World Cup elimination for Pakistan, the 1992 winners.
He was pronounced dead later that day in hospital. The following Thursday, police announced they were treating the death as murder.
Qayyum felt that if all the recommendations he made had been followed properly, cricket would not be facing such match-fixing allegations.
The former judge called for the Pakistan government to send its own investigation team to Kingston, Jamaica to look into the circumstances surrounding Woolmer's death and the reasons for Pakistan's shocking loss to Ireland.
"He was our coach and we must ourselves take steps to clear up any suspicions surrounding his mysterious death," said Qayyum.
"This defeat to Ireland must also be investigated properly," he added.
Qayyum held an 18-month long inquiry between 1998 and 2000 into allegations that some Pakistani players were involved in fixing matches.
| I put my life at stake and shared important facts with the ICC but I was not taken seriously Rashid Latif
Former Pakistan captain |
After questioning more than 50 witnesses including players, officials, bookmakers and umpires, Qayyum reserved his greatest punishment for Malik.
He also fined five others, including Pakistan's captain at the time of Woolmer's death, Inzamam-ul-Haq.
Qayyum said even though the ICC had set up its anti-corruption unit it needed to be more proactive in cleaning up the game.
"In Pakistan the board must follow the inquiry recommendation that assets of players must be checked annually to confirm their source of income."
His comments follow an interview given by former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif to BBC Sport in which he criticised the International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption Unit [ACU], saying it had been "highly unsuccessful".
Latif said: "I was willing to work with the ACU and had a detailed meeting with them in London in 2003.
"I put my life at stake and shared important facts with the ACU, but I was not taken seriously."
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