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ICC suspends former Sri Lanka player Jayananda Warnaweera

Sri Lankan pitch curator Jayananda Warnaweera has been suspended for three years by the International Cricket Council after he failed to take part in an anti-corruption investigation.

Warnaweera, who played international cricket for Sri Lanka 16 times between 1986 and 1994 and latterly worked at Galle International Stadium, was asked to co-operate with the ICC anti-corruption unit (ACU) in an ongoing probe.

The 55-year-old failed to attend two interviews with the ACU scheduled in September and October and did not disclose documents when requested, the ICC said in a statement.

Warnaweera was charged with "failing, without compelling justification, to co-operate with any reasonable investigation carried out by the ACU in relation to possible breaches of the anti-corruption code, including failure to provide information and/or documentation requested by the ACU that may be relevant to such investigation" under article 2.4.6 of the ICC anti-corruption code.

The ICC, which has not revealed full details of its investigation, said Warnaweera failed to respond to the charge and was "deemed to have admitted that he committed the offence" and "waived his right to a hearing, and to have acceded to the imposition of a sanction within the range specific in the notice of charge".

ACU chairman Sir Ronnie Flanagan said: "The ICC takes no pleasure in imposing a suspension, but this decision clearly illustrates what the code means to the ICC and how seriously we take matters that relate to corruption.

"It should also act as a reminder to participants of the need to comply with their obligations under the code. The ICC has a zero-tolerance approach towards corruption and it will not hesitate in taking such decisions in its endeavour to eliminate this menace from the sport."

(News Agencies)