Ex-West Indies player Marlon Samuels hit with six-year ban from all cricket for corruption

Charges against 42-year-old related to 2019 Abu Dhabi T10 tournament

Marlon Samuels scored more than 11,000 runs for West Indies in international cricket. Reuters

Former West Indies all-rounder Marlon Samuels has been banned from all cricket for six years for breaching the International Cricket Council’s anti-corruption code.

Samuels was charged by the ICC in 2021 in relation to the 2019 Abu Dhabi T10 tournament then found guilty of four corruption offences in August 2023 following an independent tribunal hearing.

He was found guilty of failing to disclose “the receipt of any gift, payment, hospitality or other benefit” that could bring him into disrepute, as well as the receipt of hospitality worth $750 or more.

The ICC also said Samuels, who has not played for West Indies since 2018, failed to co-operate with an anti-corruption official and concealed information that may have been relevant to the investigation. The ban takes effect from November 11, 2023.

“Samuels played international cricket for close to two decades, during which he participated in numerous anti-corruption sessions and knew exactly what his obligations were under the Anti-Corruption Codes,” Alex Marshall, the ICC’s integrity unit manager, said in a statement on Thursday.

“Though he is retired now, Mr. Samuels was a participant when the offences were committed. The ban of six years will act as a strong deterrent to any participant who intends to break the rules.”

This is not the first time Samuels has found himself punished by cricket's main governing body.

In 2008, Samuels received a two-year ban from the ICC after being caught on tape passing on match-related information to an Indian bookmaker during West Indies’ ODI series in India the previous year.

He was found guilty of “receiving money, or benefit or other reward that could bring him or the game of cricket into disrepute”.

Samuels still made a strong comeback in 2011 and continued playing Test cricket until 2016, and limited-overs internationals for a further two years.

Samuels made his Test and ODI debuts for West Indies in 2000 at the age of 19.

He played 71 Tests, 207 ODIs and 67 T20 internationals and scored more than 11,000 runs in international cricket. His highlight was a 56-ball 78 in the World T20 final against Sri Lanka in 2012 to help the West Indies win the title.