Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Expectations changing on sports betting - Eddings

Written by 
Published in Cricket
Thursday, 28 November 2019 23:34

Earl Eddings, the Cricket Australia chairman, has indicated that the broad issues of anti-corruption processes and sports betting are up for discussion with the Australian Cricketers Association, though he has stopped short of meeting with its president Shane Watson to specifically address the Emily Smith WBBL case.

In a week where CA has faced criticism for banning Smith for the rest of the season after she posted the Hobart Hurricanes' batting line-up on her Instagram account an hour before the scheduled start of play, and also for its commercial relationship with sports betting, Eddings told ESPNcricinfo that the governing body needed to strike a balance between the issues of the moment and wider considerations. He spoke by phone with Watson on Thursday, and has also corresponded with the ACA's chairman Greg Dyer.

ALSO READ: Australian Cricketers Association not contesting Emily Smith ban

The integrity unit at CA, headed by Sean Carroll, is effectively ring-fenced from the rest of the governing body on the basis that it must have the authority to investigate any individual at CA, from the chairman down. It is also linked to the ICC's rigorous anti-corruption code and unit, making any intervention by CA's board or management more problematic than it might be for other issues in the game.

"I spoke to Shane Watson yesterday, Greg and I have exchanged emails. We always talk to the ACA, but our hands are tied," Eddings said. "We can't change the decision under the code of conduct. As I have said to Shane, we don't need to meet. There's other forums where we can meet, and we can't change the decision and won't change the decision. So getting the two boards together I thought was superfluous.

"While this week with the Emily Smith situation there are some disagreements about the outcome, I think it's been done respectfully and with mutual respect. Like anything it is a work in progress. We established the ACC [Australian Cricket Council] together, that's been a great initiative. [The ACC] is an advisory body to bring in leaders of Australian cricket to talk about significant strategic issues. Would the Emily Smith situation be one of those, probably not, maybe the process might be. It's about delivering the future of Australian cricket, getting all the stakeholders feeling like they've got an important say in issues that affect Australian cricket."

Dyer and Eddings have enjoyed a far more constructive relationship than previous CA/ACA chairmen, with the previous CA chairman David Peever particularly unpopular during the pay dispute in 2016-17. "I think our relationship is really strong, probably not my words but the ACA would say it is the strongest it's been since my time on the board," Eddings said. "Like anything, it's a matter of working for the good of the game and showing mutual respect.

"It doesn't mean we'll always agree, and I would expect the ACA, that's their job to come out and protect their players - if they don't do that, why are they there. So I've got no problem with them flying the flag for the players."

The parallel lines of CA's harsh integrity stance and commercial relationship with with Bet365 have also been criticised this week by the noted anti-gambling advocate Tim Costello, who addressed CA's chief executive Kevin Roberts and state and territory CEOs in Perth last December. "What Emily Smith did in simply posting a team make-up has zero consequences on the game of cricket itself, and was clearly not corrupt," Costello told News Corp. "If [CA] was serious about distancing itself from betting scandals, it would not take a single dollar from the gambling industry."

Eddings acknowledged that while community expectations around sports betting advertising are changing, any review of CA's relationship with betting would need to guard against social justice overreach.

"As a board we always consider what are the issues coming up, how does that affect our brand, is it the right thing to do," he said. "At the moment we're focused on how Australian cricket is travelling. Certainly there is a mood out there in the public, we've seen the social activism about it. At the moment we're happy to have Bet365 as a corporate partner, and we'll review that going forward.

"I think as any sport, particularly as Australia's truly national sport, we need to be really cognisant of our role in society, without being over the top and without overreaching. I think we've done that well in the last 12 months with pay equity for female players, parental leave, our transgender policy. Those are examples of where there's a broader community reach you have and a responsibility you have. We're very conscious as a board of our role, without overreaching into some of those areas."

Read 315 times

Soccer

Jones, Watkins put new-look England top of group

Jones, Watkins put new-look England top of group

England eased past hosts Greece 3-0 in their Nations League match on Thursday to go top of their Gro...

Sources: Dash technical director out amid turmoil

Sources: Dash technical director out amid turmoil

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsPablo Piñones-Arce is out as technical director of the Houston Dash...

Bonmatí: NWSL tops Spain in player treatment

Bonmatí: NWSL tops Spain in player treatment

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsAitana Bonmatí expressed her dismay at how women footballers in Spa...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Warriors guard Melton ruled out with ACL sprain

Warriors guard Melton ruled out with ACL sprain

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsSAN FRANCISCO -- Golden State Warriors guard De'Anthony Melton has...

'The experience boosted me': Inside Rob Dillingham's strange journey to the NBA

'The experience boosted me': Inside Rob Dillingham's strange journey to the NBA

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- ON THE 28TH FLOOR of a five-star hotel in midtown Manha...

Baseball

Angels, Newman agree to 1-year, $2.5M deal

Angels, Newman agree to 1-year, $2.5M deal

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe Los Angeles Angels and infielder Kevin Newman agreed to a one-y...

Ex-Dodgers OF Puig to play in South Korea in '25

Ex-Dodgers OF Puig to play in South Korea in '25

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFormer Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig is set to return...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated