ICC penalises Salgaonkar on technical count

Pandurang Salgaonkar has received a six-month suspension, which has been backdated to 25 October 2017, being the date he was internally suspended by MCA, and he will therefore be free to resume his duties on 24 April 2018.

The ICC has served a back-dated six-month suspension on Pandurang Salgaonkar, curator of the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA), only on the technical count of not informing the authorities about an approach before the second one-day international between India and New Zealand on October 25, 2017 at the MCA International Stadium in Gahunje.

The ICC has served a back-dated six-month suspension on Pandurang Salgaonkar, former first class cricketer and curator of the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA), but only on the technical count of not informing the authorities about the approach made to him by undercover reporters of a television channel before the second one-day international between India and New Zealand on October 25, 2017 at the MCA International Stadium in Gahunje.

An ICC press release said: "Salgaonkar was charged with a failure to report an approach, but no evidence was found of him actually having been engaged in corruption and therefore no charges were laid against him on that basis.’’

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Furthermore the ICC General Manager, Anti-Corruption, Alex Marshall said: "We have carried out an extensive investigation based on the allegations made by India Today and the material they shared with us. I am satisfied that Mr. Salgaonkar has no case to answer on the broad allegations of corruption made by India Today .

"However, as he is bound by the ICC Anti-Corruption Code as a participant of the sport, he has been charged with breaching section 2.4.4 of the Code for his failure to report an approach to engage in corrupt conduct.

"Mr. Salgaonkar has accepted that he has committed the offence and has received a six-month suspension, which has been backdated to 25 October 2017, being the date he was internally suspended by MCA, and he will therefore be free to resume his duties on 24 April 2018.”

It can be said that the MCA President Abhay Apte took a quick decision to suspend Salgaonkar on the morning of October 25, which has been taken as the starting date of the six month suspension. The MCA susppended him not only as curator of the MCA, but also removed him as a representative of Raigad Disctrict on the MCA Committee.

The MCA is likely to a take fresh look at the possibility of Salgaonkar’s return to the MCA after he completes his suspension period on April 24. The MCA will convene a managing committee meeting soon to discuss the ICC decision.