Home > Cricket > Reuters > Report
Warne denies contact with punter
Julian Linden |
February 16, 2004 12:12 IST
Shane Warne has denied a report that he was seen in the company of an alleged match-fixer during the 1999 World Cup in England.
The Indian magazine Outlook published an article claiming Warne and another high-profile international cricketer were seen in the company of a New Delhi-based gambler at a London restaurant.
| Also Read | | |
|
Warne released a statement on Monday denying the claims. He said he had dined at a London pizza restaurant mentioned in the article but not with the alleged match-fixer."This story is total rubbish and completely untrue," Warne said.
The magazine article, based on an investigation into alleged match-fixing at the 1999 World Cup, did not suggest any wrong-doing by Warne, who is pushing for a return to Australia's team after a 12-month doping ban.
Cricket Australia (CA) also issued a statement, saying it did not plan to investigate the report because it was not credible.
"Shane Warne has emphatically denied the reports which have surfaced out of India overnight, and at this stage, Cricket Australia does not consider these current allegations credible to warrant any formal investigation," CA acting chief executive officer David Fouvy said.
"Cricket Australia is fully committed to ensuring cricket remains free from corruption.
"If we are presented with any credible allegations of misconduct against Australian players or officials, these will be fully investigated."
The leg spinner was fined by CA in 1998 after he and Mark Waugh admitted taking money off an illegal Indian bookmaker in exchange for information about pitch and weather conditions.
Warne, 34, made a low-key comeback to cricket last week and is hoping to be recalled to the Australian Test team to tour Sri Lanka at the end of the month.