Former Sri Lanka batsman Avishka Gunawardene, right, has been cleared of corruption charges. AFP
Former Sri Lanka batsman Avishka Gunawardene, right, has been cleared of corruption charges. AFP
Former Sri Lanka batsman Avishka Gunawardene, right, has been cleared of corruption charges. AFP
Former Sri Lanka batsman Avishka Gunawardene, right, has been cleared of corruption charges. AFP

Former Sri Lanka cricketer Avishka Gunawardene cleared of corruption charges


Paul Radley
  • English
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A former Sri Lanka international has been cleared of breaking cricket’s anti-corruption rules at the T10 League in Sharjah.

An independent tribunal unanimously deemed Avishka Gunawardene not guilty of two charges of breaching the sport’s anti-corruption code at the 2017 T10.

The former all-rounder, who played 67 times for Sri Lanka, had been banned since May 2019 pending the investigation.

It was alleged he had attempted to induce a player into corruption at the first edition of the 10-over tournament at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

However, he was cleared of that, as well as of failing to report to the ICC “full details of any incident, fact, or matter … that may evidence corrupt conduct” at the tournament.

Gunawardene’s judgement is rare case of a player being found not guilty among a spate of corruption scandals in the sport in recent times.

Heath Streak, the former Zimbabwe captain and coach, is the highest profile figure to have been found guilty in the corruption purge.

He was last month banned for eight years for five breaches of anti-corruption rules, including accepting bitcoins worth $35,000 as well as a new iPhone for his wife in exchange for inside information on cricket.

That is the same duration of illegibility that was meted out to Mohammed Naveed and Shaiman Anwar, two former UAE players, earlier this year.

They were found guilty of planning to fix aspects of matches at the 2019 T20 World Cup Qualifier in the UAE.

Coincidentally, Gunawardene’s decision came on the same day that Mohammed Naveed officially lodged his appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland.

The former UAE captain had registered his case with the dispute resolution institution at the end of March.

Now he has paid the $22,000 fee required to have his appeal considered, after selling a property and his car in Pakistan to subsidise his costs.

Naveed re-hired the legal team who represented him in his anti-corruption case with the ICC, to take his appeal to CAS.

RESULTS

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Mumbai won by 13 runs

Rajasthan Royals 152-9 (20 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab 155-4 (18.4 ovs)

Kings XI Punjab won by 6 wickets

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Tips on buying property during a pandemic

Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.

While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.

While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar. 

Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.

Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.

Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities. 

Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong. 

Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.

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Stage results

1. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Deceuninck-QuickStep  4:39:05

2. Michael Matthews (AUS) Team BikeExchange 0:00:08

3. Primoz Roglic (SLV) Jumbo-Visma same time 

4. Jack Haig (AUS) Bahrain Victorious s.t  

5. Wilco Kelderman (NED) Bora-Hansgrohe s.t  

6. Tadej Pogacar (SLV) UAE Team Emirates s.t 

7. David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ s.t

8. Sergio Higuita Garcia (COL) EF Education-Nippo s.t     

9. Bauke Mollema (NED) Trek-Segafredo  s.t

10. Geraint Thomas (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers s.t

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RESULTS
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Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less