The ruling International Cricket Council (ICC) has banned tweeting during World Cup games to ensure illegal bookmakers do not use the views of players and team staff on Twitter as betting guides.
ICC media manager James Fitzgerald told the Associated Press on Tuesday that “tweeting has been banned during all matches of the World Cup” which is to be co-hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh from February 19 to April 2.
The move follows advice from the ICC’s anti-corruption unit, as players and team staff have taken to the social networking site to air their views.
Australia team manager Steve Bernard is known to be a regular tweeter during matches.
“This decision is not made with the idea of preventing particular players or officials, but is a precautionary move,” Fitzgerald said.
“We want to ensure that no information is passed on, even inadvertently, so as to be used by others for betting.”
No ban on Twitter
England cricketer Kevin Pietersen was recently fined by his cricket board for a comment on Twitter after discovering he had been dropped for the first time.
Fitzgerald said players were free to air their views when a match was not in progress.
“The ban is not on Twitter, it is on tweeting during matches,” he said.
Fitzgerald would not comment on whether the tweeting ban during matches might be extended after the World Cup.
Though betting is illegal in India, millions of dollars are reported to be wagered during important matches featuring teams like India, Australia, South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. — Sapa-AP
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