Melbourne: Cricket Australia (CA) on Monday handed a one-year ban to Hobart Hurricanes player Emily Smith for breaching their Anti-Corruption Code.
Smith will be ineligible to participate in any form of cricket for a period of one year, with nine months being fully suspended. This effectively means that Smith is ineligible for a period of three months.
She had posted her team's line-up to her Instagram account approximately an hour before the official scheduled release on November 2. However, CA's Anti-Corruption Code prohibits a player to disclose any inside information.
Smith has also been ruled out from the remaining Women Big Bash League.
Cricket Australia's Head of Integrity and Security, Sean Carroll, said that there is no excuse for breaches regardless of the reasons for information being disclosed.
"Whilst Cricket Australia acknowledges that at the time of posting the team line-up there was no intent to breach the Anti-Corruption Code, CA's rigorous anti-corruption player education program means that players are well aware of their obligations under the Anti-Corruption Code and there is no excuse for breaches regardless of the reasons for information being disclosed," Carroll said in a statement.
"Since the commencement of the WBBL, Cricket Australia has had in place a robust anti-corruption program," Carroll continued. "We have been working with Emily throughout the process and Emily now understands the mistake she made. Unfortunately, in this instance Emily's actions breached the Anti-Corruption Code. We hope this serves as reminder to all that the Anti-Corruption Code is critical to protecting the integrity of the game," Carroll added.
