Cricket

Cricket Australia (CA) has extended its ban on former Sri Lankan Test player Dulip Samaraweera for an additional 10 years, bringing his total suspension to 30 years. The latest ban stems from allegations of inappropriate behavior towards a second player while Samaraweera was coaching.Samaraweera was initially suspended for 20 years in September 2022 after an investigation found him guilty of inappropriate behavior towards a female player. The second allegation relates to his time as a private coach while employed by Cricket Victoria.Samaraweera has denied the latest claim but declined to participate in the investigation. As a result, he has been banned for 10 years for breaching the sport's code of conduct. The ban will run concurrently with his initial 20-year suspension, meaning he will not be eligible to return to any coaching role in Australia until 2044.Neither complainant has pursued criminal charges at this time. Samaraweera had been involved in Cricket Victoria's women's program for nearly 16 years, including as an assistant coach for the Melbourne Stars in the WBBL. He resigned from his position in May 2023.Cricket Victoria CEO Nick Cummins condemned Samaraweera's conduct as "utterly reprehensible" and "a betrayal of everything we stand for." He praised the victim for her courage in speaking out and pledged ongoing support.Samaraweera, who played seven Tests for Sri Lanka, has been an assistant coach with the Stars since the inaugural WBBL season in 2015. He also served as Victoria's interim head coach for most of the 2022-23 summer.Samaraweera was set to take over the head coach role full-time but resigned in May 2023 due to a conflict of interest policy that prevented him from hiring his brother, Thilan, to the coaching staff.

A professional county cricket coach has been suspended for six months by the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) for engaging in inappropriate conduct with a player under his care. The incidents occurred during a pre-season tour in March 2024, involving the men's and women's teams from an unnamed county.The coach, referred to as "Coach A" in the CDC's findings, was charged with breaching regulation 3.3 of the 2023 Professional Conduct Regulations, which prohibits improper conduct that may harm the interests of cricket or bring the game into disrepute. Coach A admitted the charge in writing on July 25, 2024.The identities of Coach A, the player involved ("Player 1"), another player ("Player 2"), and a senior county employee who provided witness statements were anonymized to protect victims and vulnerable witnesses.Evidence presented to the CDC included call logs, messages, and a transcript of Coach A's interview with the Cricket Regulator. The CDC deemed it unnecessary to disclose the full details of the incidents as they had been admitted by the parties involved.Coach A's suspension includes three months already served since the last incident in March 2024, with the remaining three months suspended for two years, contingent on his future conduct. The CDC recommended that Coach A undergo appropriate training at his own expense and did not impose a fine, considering the financial impact on him and his family.Interim director of The Cricket Regulator, Dave Lewis, emphasized the importance of protecting participants from inappropriate sexual behavior, especially by those in positions of power. The Regulator encourages reporting of such incidents and safeguards the identities of victims and vulnerable witnesses.Mitigating factors considered by the CDC in sentencing Coach A included his acceptance of responsibility, apology, and expression of remorse. The panel also noted his unblemished record prior to the incidents and his completion of safeguarding courses and an up-to-date DBS check.

Former Sri Lankan cricketer Dulip Samaraweera has been handed a 20-year ban by Cricket Australia (CA) for "utterly reprehensible" conduct. The ban prohibits him from holding any position within CA, state associations, or Big Bash League (BBL) and Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) clubs during that period.Samaraweera, 52, was found to have breached CA's Code of Conduct during his tenure as a Cricket Victoria employee. An investigation by CA's Integrity Department was initiated following complaints about his behavior.The investigation revealed that Samaraweera had engaged in inappropriate behavior involving a player, violating section 2.23 of CA's Code of Conduct. The specific details of the behavior have not been disclosed.Cricket Victoria CEO Nick Cummins strongly condemned Samaraweera's actions. "The conduct was utterly reprehensible and a betrayal of everything we stand for at Cricket Victoria," Cummins said. "The victim has shown incredible courage in speaking up, and we will continue to support her."CA emphasized its commitment to providing a safe environment for all players and employees. "The welfare of those subjected to mistreatment is paramount," CA stated.Samaraweera, who played seven Tests and five ODIs for Sri Lanka, had been a long-time assistant coach for the Victoria women's team and the Melbourne Stars WBBL franchise. He was promoted to the head coaching role for the Victoria women's team earlier this year but resigned after just two weeks due to a disagreement over staff appointments.The 20-year ban is a significant punishment for Samaraweera, effectively ending his coaching career in Australia. It sends a strong message that CA will not tolerate any form of misconduct or abuse within the sport.

Middlesex County Cricket Club's off-field woes have escalated with the club facing charges from the Cricket Regulator for breaching ECB Directive 3.3. The charge stems from allegations of inappropriate behavior by the club's chief financial officer, Illa Sharma.The Cricket Regulator has not named the employee in question, but Middlesex acknowledged Sharma's conduct was under investigation in a recent statement. The Telegraph reported that around 30 current and former Middlesex staff members had been interviewed by the Regulator regarding the charge, which centers on a specific complaint from two years ago.Two former club employees claimed to have suffered mental health issues due to the alleged misconduct, while others spoke out about a "bullying culture" within the club.The Cricket Regulator confirmed the charge in a statement, stating that it followed an investigation into an allegation of misconduct by a club employee. The Regulator emphasized that it would not identify the individual concerned.ECB Directive 3.3 pertains to conduct that is improper or prejudicial to the interests of cricket. The charge will be considered by the independent Cricket Discipline Commission, and no further comment will be made until the case is concluded.This saga adds to Middlesex's recent troubles. The club has been embroiled in a dispute with its former CEO, Richard Goatley, and was placed in special measures by the ECB last year due to a pension payment error that resulted in a £500,000 shortfall and a registered loss of £952,000 for the 2021-22 season.