Former South Africa pacer Lonwabo Tsotsobe banned for eight years for match-fixing

Johannesburg: Cricket South Africa (CSA) banned former Proteas fast bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe for eight years on Tuesday over match fixing in a 2015 T20 Challenge Series. The body confirmed in a statement that Tsotsobe, 33, had admitted to contravening the anti-corruption code and “has been banned for eight years”. [caption id=“attachment_3802307” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File photo of Lonwabo Tsotsobe. AFP[/caption] Tsotsobe initially denied involvement in the fixing, and the ban prohibits him from involvement in any aspect of the sport locally and internationally. CSA Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said “it is clear that he was active in plans to participate in spot fixing and hence the sanction imposed on him.” The player has apologised for his action, saying he was “in a very vulnerable financial state and this dilemma too easily persuaded me to participate in spot fixing”. The ban runs from 24 April 2017. CSA stated that the left-arm seamer admitted to one charge of contriving to fix a match in the 2015 RAM SLAM, failing to disclose full details to investigators, two charges of failing to disclose full details of the matter, three charges of failing to cooperate with the investigation and two charges of destroying and concealing information related to the case. His ban follows that of Gulam Bodi, a Proteas, Lions and Titans player, who was banished from the sport for 20 year for involvement in fixing matches in the 2015 T20 series.