West Indies player Devon Thomas banned for 5 years following 7 breaches of anti-corruption code
Devon Thomas has received a five-year ban from all formats of cricket for breaching the anti-corruption code seven times. Despite being educated about the laws on multiple occasions, Thomas did not follow them, which is why the authorities handed him a ban.
Thomas breached the codes of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), and Caribbean Premier League (CPL). He received a provisional suspension on May 23, 2023, and the period of ineligibility has been backdated to that day. Plus, the ICC has stated that the last 18 months of the ineligibility would be suspended.
Speaking about Devon Thomas' ban, ICC General Manager - Intergity Unit, Alex Marshall said in a media release:
"Having played both international and professional domestic/franchise cricket, Devon attended numerous anti-corruption education sessions. He therefore knew what his obligations were under the Anti-Corruption Codes but failed to meet these obligations across three different franchise leagues."
Thomas breached the codes while playing in Lanka Premier League, Abu Dhabi T10 League and Caribbean Premier League 2021. The long list of offences include failure to disclose details of an approach for fixing as well as attempts to fix games.
Devon Thomas played his last international match for West Indies in 2022
Thomas represented West Indies in one Test, 21 ODIs, and 12 T20I matches. His average was in the range of 15 in Tests and ODIs, while in T20Is, he managed just 51 runs at an average of 8.5. Notably, his last appearance for West Indies came in a Test match against Australia in December 2022.
Thomas was a part of St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in CPL 2021. In Lanka Premier League, he represented the Kandy Warriors that season, whereas in the Abu Dhabi T10 League, the Caribbean wicketkeeper-batter was a member of the Pune Devils side. The cricketer accepted seven breaches of the anti-corruption code by him.