Cheating in sport discussed.

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Cheating

As each year goes by we always seem to hear on a fairly regular basis about the antics of sportsmen and women involving cheating.  As each new case comes to the forefront of the media, a furore ensues and we are left to wonder whether the problem will ever cure itself, whether sport will ever be played on a level playing field and why money always seems enough to corrupt good men.  The particular example I would like to look at occurred three years ago in April and is the demise of South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje.

Firstly, the facts.  In April 2000, Delhi Police revealed they had a recording of a mobile phone conversation during the one-day series between India and South Africa in March. It was alleged the taped voices were Hansie Cronje and a member of an Indian betting syndicate. “Cronje's voice”, divulged information about the team, including a suggestion that off-spinner Derek Crookes would open the bowling and it was agreed that Herschelle Gibbs (the South African opener) should not score more than 20 runs. In the match Gibbs scored 19 and Crookes opened the bowling, a strange coincidence…

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As the allegations came out Cronje vehemently denied everything and being a well respected man and the captain of his country, most seemed to believe him and he received backing from the major cricketing authorities.  However, soon under mounting pressure Cronje performed a spectacular u-turn admitting to the allegations before being sacked from the post of captain.  Subsequently more allegations got thrown around before a high profile trial where Cronje received a lifetime ban from the sport.  Despite his crimes Cronje felt that the decision was harsh and set about trying to get the ban overturned, as it happened ...

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