ICC Suspends Cricket Canada Amid Corruption and Gang Influence Allegations
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has suspended Cricket Canada due to what it described as "serious breaches of its membership obligations," marking a significant setback for the organization, which has faced criticism for its governance and integrity.
This suspension arises amid increasing concerns that Canada’s rapidly growing cricket scene is being influenced by members of a notorious gang based in India.
The ICC finalized the suspension during a meeting held in Ahmedabad, India, on Sunday, responding to ongoing worries about the governance of Cricket Canada. This decision follows the freezing of Cricket Canada’s funding in May, which was prompted by allegations that the organization lacked proper governance structures and failed to submit audited financial statements.
In response, Cricket Canada’s new interim chief operating officer, Bhavjit Jauhar, described the ICC suspension as "unexpected" but confirmed that the organization will not contest the decision. Instead, Cricket Canada is committed to fulfilling all compliance requirements. Jauhar stated that an independent investigation will be conducted to examine governance and financial controls.
Over recent months, Cricket Canada has been the focus of an extensive investigation by the Fifth Estate, CBC’s investigative journalism unit. The investigation uncovered evidence of corruption, coercion, match-fixing, and other forms of misconduct within the organization.
One notable finding highlighted questionable player promotions and accusations from senior staff that top officials were orchestrating elements of match-fixing. A national team member told CBC that certain players were deliberately fast-tracked through the ranks, including to captaincy positions. Players reportedly received threats, including death threats, if they failed to cooperate.
The rise of sophisticated sports betting has increased the stakes, allowing gamblers to wager on specific errors and batting orders. Following an error by the team’s captain during a match against New Zealand in February, the ICC’s anti-corruption unit questioned him regarding alleged match-fixing.
Reports also link these corruption allegations to the Bishnoi gang, a criminal organization with ties to several violent incidents in Canada.
The Bishnoi gang has been associated with multiple killings and attempted assassinations in Canada. Authorities suspect members of this gang were involved in the murder of a Sikh activist shot outside his temple in British Columbia. The gang is also linked to the assassination of Sidhu Moose Wala, a Punjabi rapper with a global following, who was shot near his village in Punjab.
Recently, Canada’s federal government designated the Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity. Officials state that the gang employs "murder, shootings and arson" to extort and intimidate diaspora communities and has established a significant criminal presence.
The ICC clarified that Canadian teams will still be allowed to compete during the suspension period to avoid penalizing players for administrative issues within Cricket Canada.
However, Cricket Canada will have restricted access to financial resources for its national teams, managed through a controlled funding mechanism under ICC supervision.
The ICC will provide Cricket Canada with specific reinstatement conditions, and the organization’s return to full membership will depend on satisfying the ICC board’s requirements.
Canadian teams remain eligible to participate in ICC-sanctioned events.
