Cricketers suspected of match-fixing "face being forced to hand over their mobile phones" to the Int'l Cricket Council’s anti-corruption unit under plans to "tackle those seeking to fix matches or elements of them," according to Sean Ingle of the London GUARDIAN. ACU Chair Ronnie Flanagan said that he would be asking the ICC’s board for "new powers because illegal activity between players and bookmakers was increasingly being organised on the dark web -- as well as sites such as WhatsApp and Snapchat -- rather than through telephone conversations." Flanagan: "There is no ground for complacency whatever. These corruptors have demonstrated their ingenuity and determination to keep trying to get at players and match officials and therefore we must be continually active in thwarting their intentions." Flanagan has "already had informal talks with some ICC members and expects his proposal to be considered by the ICC board" in early '17. He is also "hopeful that they will get the support of players' unions, despite initial concerns they might have about privacy issues" (GUARDIAN, 11/15).
