a former official with the Russian national anti-doping

Four South African cricketers, including former Test wicketkeeper Thami Tsolekile, have been handed bans by Cricket South Africa for breaching the boards Anti-Corruption Code. While Tsolekile has been banned for 12 years, Jean Symes has been given a seven-year ban, and Ethy Mbhalati and Pumelela Matshikwe have each been given ten-year bans in relation to the 2015 Ram Slam T20 fixing case.All four players have accepted the bans given by CSA. The bans imposed on the players, effective from August 1, 2016, prevent them from participating or being involved in cricket in any capacity.Symes, Matshikwe and Tsolekile were all previously contracted with Lions, while Mbhalati was contracted to Titans.Tsolekile, who captained Lions previously and has played three Tests for South Africa, was sanctioned for contriving to fix a match or matches in the 2015 Ram Slam; failing to disclose to the CSA Anti-Corruption Officer the full details of an approach to engage in corrupt conduct. He was also banned for failing to disclose full details of matters evidencing a breach of the Code by another participant; and obstructing or delaying the investigation by destroying evidence that was relevant to the investigation.Symes, an allrounder, was banned for failing to disclose to the anti-corruption unit a payment which he knew or ought to have known was given to him to procure a breach of the Code, according to a CSA release. He has also been charged with failing to disclose details of an approach to engage in corrupt conduct under the Code; failing to disclose full details of matters evidencing a breach of the Code by another participant; and failing to co-operate with the investigators by knowingly providing false information to them.Mbhalati and Matshikwe have been banned for: Receiving a payment or incentive to fix or contrive to influence improperly a match or matches in the 2015 RAM SLAM; making a payment which in the circumstances would bring the sport of cricket into disrepute; failing to disclose to the CSA Anti-Corruption officer a payment which they knew or ought to have known was given to them to procure a breach of the Code; failing to disclose details of an approach to engage in corrupt conduct and failing to disclose full details of matters evidencing a breach of the Code by another participant.The CSA release stated that Matshikwe had three years of his ban suspended.CSA made its investigation into the allegations of fixing in the Ram Slam competition public last December. In January former cricketer Gulam Bodi was banned for 20 years after he admitted to contriving or attempting to fix matches during the 2015 Ram Slam T20 series.The boards investigation was headed by independent attorney and former ICC Head of legal, David Becker, and former police Colonel and current head of CSAs Anti-Corruption Unit, Louis Cole.CSAs chief executive Haroon Lorgat said that while there was no evidence to suggest that an actual fix in a match had been carried out, the players had participated in material discussions about match-fixing.Corruption is a very serious matter and for this reason we have devoted extensive time and resources to fully investigate every shred of evidence, Lorgat said in the statement. We are still finalising certain aspects of the investigation.Whilst there has been no evidence to suggest that an actual fix in any match was carried out, these players all participated in material discussions about match-fixing. In fact, they all went further and accepted, or agreed to accept in the future, sums of money which they knew or ought to have known was given to them to procure a breach of the Code, or bring the game into disrepute.ICC chief executive David Richardson said it was a plus if the actual fixing was thwarted, and the ICC supports the strong sanctions. What is particularly satisfying to note is that it appears that any intended wrongdoing was disrupted before it happened, meaning the domestic games in question went ahead without any act of corruption being committed.The sanctions are rightly strong and, I hope, will act as a deterrent to anyone thinking about getting involved in criminal activity of this nature whether at international or domestic level.Symes, Matshikwe and Mbhalati expressed their regret over their actions and issued apologies in CSAs press release. The release, however, did not include a statement from Tsolekile.I would like to apologise to my family, friends, the public who are fans of the game of cricket, my team mates, Gauteng cricket, Lions cricket and especially to Cricket South Africa for my actions, Matshikwe said in the press release. I feel ashamed and I deeply regret being involved. I understand that I have to take responsibility and I accept the punishment that CSA has imposed on me. I am truly sorry.Mbhalati admitted to a bad mistake: I made a bad mistake which I will regret for a very long time. I would like to do all I can to prevent other players finding themselves in the difficult situation I now find myself in.I deeply regret that at the end of my career, a career that I have devoted to the sport of cricket, my clubs, teams and fellow players, I have conducted myself in a manner that amounts to a contravention of the ethical code of conduct of Cricket South Africa, Symes said. In hindsight, I would have conducted myself differently. I regret any hurt or inconvenience that I have caused my team, my fellow players, my family and friends and specifically Cricket South Africa.The Federation of International Cricketers Associations chief Tony Irish said FICA might assist the players in their recovery process. If it hadnt been for education programme, I dont think the players would have come forward and revealed what was going on, Irish said. This investigation would never have happened.These are human beings, these are players who have gone astray. They are still individuals. They are guys who perhaps need support and assistance in other ways. We will probably look to assist them in that way. This is the best education a player can get - to see what happens when it does go wrong. These sorts of things become huge wake-up calls for players. ZaDarius Smith Super Bowl Jersey .C. -- Kemba Walker and the Charlotte Bobcats got off to a fast start, and the Sacramento Kings were never quite able to catch up. Packers Super Bowl Jerseys . Speaking to the Chicago Tribune at baseballs Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Boras called the former home of the Expos a "tremendous environment" for baseball. https://www.packersrookiestore.com/Packers-Rashan-Gary-Jersey/ . MORITZ, Switzerland -- Fog prevented downhill racers from getting their Olympic dress rehearsal. Ray Nitschke Super Bowl Jersey .500 on the season. The Jets are now 0-5-1 in the second game of back-to-backs. The game started the same way the Vancouver game started the night before, with the Jets taking the first two penalties of the game and killing off the first, but the Oilers getting on the board first, scoring on the second man-advantage. Bryan Bulaga Super Bowl Jersey . Spiller left Week 3s 27-20 loss to the New York Jets with a thigh injury, but fully practiced with the team all week and expects to be ready to go on Sunday. GENEVA -- A two-time Wimbledon singles champion, two Tour de France winners and an Olympic discus gold medalist had the same answer Thursday to the latest leak by hackers of confidential medical information: so what?Petra Kvitova, Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome and Robert Harting -- all Rio de Janeiro Olympians last month -- reacted with sarcasm and shrugs to the leak from the World Anti-Doping Agency database.The four athletes said their use of approved medications was already widely reported or they welcomed the openness resulting from an alleged Russian-led cyberattack that WADA believes is revenge for investigations into a state-backed doping program in Russia.To say that Petra Kvitova suffers from asthma and uses medication for treatment is the same revelation as saying shes won Wimbledon, a spokesman for the Czech tennis player, Karel Tejkal, said.German discus thrower Robert Harting, the 2012 Olympic champion, wrote on Twitter that We dont hide anything. go transparency!Ive openly discussed my TUEs (therapeutic use exemptions) with the media and have no issues with the leak which confirms my statements, three-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome said.Kvitova, Harting and Froome were headline names among 25 athletes from eight countries -- including 10 from the United States -- whose confidential details of using authorized medications spilled into the public domain late Wednesday.All three competed at the Rio Olympics where Kvitova and Froome won bronze medals.Also leaked was detail of asthma medication used by Wiggins, another British winner of the Tour de France and winner of a fifth career Olympic gold in Rio.Theres nothing new here, a statement issued on behalf of Wiggins said. Everyone knows Brad suffers from asthma; his medical treatment is BC (British Cycling) and UCI (International Cycling Union) approved.WADA confirmed a second round of leaked data posted online, after medical records of gold medal-winning gymnast Simone Biles and seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams were among four American female Olympians whose data was revealed Tuesday.All 29 cases revealed records of Therapeutic Use Exemptions which allow athletes to use otherwise-banned substances because of a verified medical need. There is no suggestion any of the athletes broke any rules.The substances identified in the leaks are typically anti-inflammatory medications and treatments for asthma and allergies.Froomes use of strong anti-inflammatory medication, approved by the UCI for the 2014 Tour de Romandie race in Switzerland, was widely reported two years ago.In nine years as a professional Ive twice required a TUE for exacerbated asthma, the last time was in 2014, said Froome, who won his third Tour de France title in July. He took a bronze medal in the time trial at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics last month.The latest round of leaks identified 10 American athletes, five from Germany, five from Britain, and one each from Czech Republic, Denmark, Poland, Romania and Russia.I am furious that the hacking group is using such insolent and illegal methods, ssaid Michael Ask, head of Anti-Doping Denmark.ddddddddddddDanish swimmer Pernille Blume, who won gold in Rio de Janeiro in the 50-meter freestyle, had done nothing wrong, Ask told Denmark TV2 channel. She has followed the rules and gotten permission to use the asthma medication which she uses -- like many other athletes.Harting was revealed to have permission to use medications during the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, and before the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he finished fourth.The statement on behalf of Wiggins said the leak was an attempt to undermine the credibility of WADA and thats something for them to deal with.WADA said Wednesday that the Russian hacking group known as Fancy Bears had illegally gained access to its Anti-Doping Administration and Management System, or ADAMS, and said it included confidential medical data.To those athletes that have been impacted, we regret that criminals have attempted to smear your reputations in this way; and, assure you that we are receiving intelligence and advice from the highest level law enforcement and IT security agencies that we are putting into action, WADA director general Olivier Niggli said in a statement.Niggli said WADA had no doubt that these ongoing attacks are being carried out in retaliation against the agency, and the global anti-doping system, because of independent investigations that exposed state-sponsored doping in Russia.Russian officials have dismissed the claims as ridiculous.How can you prove that the hackers are Russian? Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said through a translator during a visit to Athens on Wednesday. You blame Russia for everything. It is very `in now.Last month, hackers obtained a database password for Russian runner Yuliya Stepanova, a whistleblower and key witness for the WADA investigations. She and her husband, a former official with the Russian national anti-doping agency, are now living at an undisclosed location in North America.The International Olympic Committee said after Tuesdays WADA statement that it strongly condemns such methods which clearly aim at tarnishing the reputation of clean athletes.The hackers, who have set up their own website, have not responded to messages seeking comment. Their chosen name, Fancy Bears, appears to be a tongue-in-cheek reference to a collection of Russia-linked hackers that security researchers have blamed for a recent spate of attacks -- and which WADA holds responsible for the current breach.The group has proclaimed its allegiance to Anonymous, the loose-knit movement of online mischief-makers, and says it hacked WADA to show the world how Olympic medals are won.Well keep on telling the world about doping in elite sports, the group said Thursday. Stay tuned for new leaks.---Associated Press writer Raphael Satter in London and Karel Janicek in Prague, Czech Republic, and AP Sports Writers Dennis Passa in Sydney and Rob Harris in Athens, Greece, contributed to this report ' ' '