UK Suspends Cricket Athlete & Soccer Official over Illegal Bets

The England Cricket Board’s (ECB) has issued a ban to Brydon Carse, a leading player who violated the board’s gambling rules. The player will now have to serve a 16-month ban.

Carse was found guilty of violating the ECB’s rules on gambling. The board learned that the player had placed wagers on a whopping 303 cricket games despite being prohibited from doing so.

All wagers were placed on games that took place between 2017 and 2019 but sporting authorities noted that none of them were placed on games Carse took part in. His case was handed to the Cricket Discipline Commission, which was tasked with handing a proportionate penalty.

The commission acknowledged Carse’s cooperation, remorse and the fact that he had not bet on his own games and handed him with a fairly lenient sentence. The athlete was handed a 16-month ban but 13 months of the penalty have been suspended.

This means that Carse will be able to return to competing at the end of August, provided that he commits no further violations.

The ECB Acknowledged Carse’s Cooperation

The ECB addressed the matter, sharing an official response to the case. A spokesperson promised that the board takes such matters “extremely seriously” and highlighted the fact that the regulatory body does not condone violations of its anti-corruption code.

However, the ECB also acknowledged Carse’s cooperation.

We support the Cricket Regulator’s decision and their consideration of the mitigating factors in Brydon’s case. He has co-operated and shown remorse for his actions. We are satisfied that Brydon has shown growth in the five years since this breach and has demonstrated a greater understanding of his responsibilities.

ECB statement

The ECB concluded that it hopes that the case can serve as an “educational example” for other athletes.

FA Suspended a Swansea Officer

The FA also issued a one-year suspension to Swansea City’s liaison officer Huw Lake who placed thousands of wagers over a five-year period. From April 2018 to September 2023, the officer placed a staggering 2,476 bets on soccer games, including hundreds of wagers on his own team’s games.

In the meantime, the Football Association (FA) charged Reading’s head of football operations Mark Bowen who is believed to have placed almost a hundred soccer wagers between 2022 and 2024. Bowen has until June 7 to respond to the allegations.