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ICC Warns Big Names as Legends Leagues Raise Corruption Concerns
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News18•07-10-2026, 15:00
ICC Warns Big Names as Legends Leagues Raise Corruption Concerns
- •Andrew Egreyve, head of the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit, stated that Legends Leagues featuring retired players are a real grey area and pose a threat to cricket's reputation.
- •Many of these leagues operate without official sanctions or NOCs from the ICC or domestic boards, leaving participating players outside the standard regulatory structure.
- •The ICC highlighted past issues, including corruption allegations against team owners in a 2024 Legends League held in Sri Lanka.
- •While acknowledging the appeal of nostalgia and exhibition-style cricket, the ICC emphasized the need to balance this with the risks involved.
- •The ACU reported progress in changing player mindsets, noting an increase in players reporting corruption approaches due to better education and engagement programs.
Key Questions Answered
Andrew Egreyve, head of the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit, explained that these tournaments are a grey area because they are mostly unapproved, lack an official NOC from the ICC, and often operate outside domestic boards and current cricket structures while featuring big-name players.
Serious corruption allegations were reported during a Legends League held in Sri Lanka in 2024, where team owners faced allegations of corruption.
The ACU has focused on shifting players' mindsets from viewing the unit like the police to trusting them, utilizing engagement programs to educate vulnerable players, help them, and increase reports of corruption approaches.
