Investigators looking into the corruption scandal that has engulfed South African cricket are understood to have spoken to 47 players and staff in the country, with two active former Test cricketers among those believed to have been involved.
The retired one-day all-rounder Gulam Bodi was named by Cricket South Africa on Thursday as the ‘intermediary’ alleged to have been the ringleader of the scam, which took place during the Ram Slam Twenty20 competition before Christmas.
The number of individuals contacted in the evidence gathering process over the past month shows the size of the investigation by anti-Corruption officials, with some of those spoken to now facing charges of failing to report wrongdoing during the tournament.
Bodi, who played three limited overs matches for South Africa in 2007 and stopped playing last year, is cooperating with officials but CSA is now understood to be investigating at least two more former internationals who are still playing professionally although they are not involved in South Africa’s current Test series against England.
Those found to have manipulated matches could face possible jail sentences if criminal cases are pursued, with match-fixing illegal in South Africa under the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act Law.
The law, which contains a clause for sporting events, was passed in 2004, four years after the former captain Hansie Cronje was banned for life ban for his role in match-fixing.
