Tsotsobe banned for eight years

Former South Africa bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe has received an eight-year ban from cricket following a lengthy anti-corruption investigation.

Lonwabo Tsotsobe has been banned for eight years after admitting to breaches of Cricket South Africa's Anti-Corruption Code.

Former Proteas and Highveld Lions player Tsotsobe, 33, was provisionally suspended in April and now becomes the seventh player to admit contraventions of the code and to receive bans. 

The charges relate to attempts to fix matches in the 2015 Ram Slam Twenty20 competition, with Gulam Bodi having already received a 20-year suspension for his role.

According to a CSA statement, Tsotsobe "admitted one charge of contriving to fix a match in the 2015 Ram Slam; two charges of failing to disclose to the CSA Anti-Corruption Officer the full details of an approach to engage in corrupt conduct; two charges of failing to disclose full details of matters evidencing a breach of the Code by another participant; three charges of failing or refusing to co-operate with an investigation (including failing to provide accurate and complete information); and two charges of obstructing or delaying the investigation by destroying evidence and concealing information that was relevant to the investigation."

CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat said: "Mr Tsotsobe has ultimately admitted his mistakes in contravening the CSA Anti-Corruption Code and, whilst no fix actually took place, it is clear that he was active in plans to participate in spot fixing and hence the sanction imposed on him."

Tsotsobe, who has played five Tests and 61 one-day internationals for South Africa, said: "I wish to apologise to cricket lovers all over the world. I was, at the time, in a very vulnerable financial state and this dilemma too easily persuaded me to participate in spot fixing. There are no words to describe the regret I have in relation to my actions and I hope that the cricket world could consider my apology and understand my deepest feeling of remorse."

Bernard Ngoepe, the Independent Chairperson of CSA's Anti-Corruption Unit, claimed Tsotsobe's ban is likely to be the last relating to the attempts to corrupt the 2015 Ram Slam. 

"The investigative team have completed a thorough and far-reaching investigation," he said.

"I am satisfied that all the culprits have been duly prosecuted under the Code and, unless we receive or uncover any new or previously undisclosed information, we believe we can now bring this matter to a close."