The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the appointment of Sumathi Dharmawardena P.C. as the new Independent Chair of the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU).
Mr Dharmawardena replaces Sir Ronnie Flanagan who retired from the role after 14 years. Mr Dharmawardena brings a wealth of experience including serving as an Additional Solicitor General at the Attorney General’s Department of Sri Lanka, in which he represents the Government of Sri Lanka, including the Ministry of Sport, in a variety of legal matters.
In addition, the new ACU Chair has worked with Interpol and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, investigating corruption in sport, as well as overseeing several investigations and prosecutions under the Prevention of Offences relating to Sports Act, an Act which he was instrumental in formulating. He has also represented the Government of Sri Lanka in discussions and negotiations with other global sporting organisations.
The Independent Chair of the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit is responsible for overseeing and leading the ACU, which is managed at the executive level by the General Manager – Integrity. Mr Dharmawardena starts in the role on 1 November 2024.

Lady In Red
Rugby is also a very popular sport in South Africa and their national team, the Springboks, has performed particularly well in the international stage taking the 1995, 2007 and 2019 Rugby World Cups. There is also a fair amount of world-class Rugby players from South Africa that includes Bryan Habana, Danie Craven, Francois Pienaar, Frik du Preez, Joost van der Westhuizen, and Naas Botha. South Africa has also hosted quite a few international sports meetings like the 1996 African Cup of Nations, 2003 Cricket World Cup, as well as the 2007 World Twenty20 Championship.
Morbid Angel
None Knows What Happened to Hansie Cronje: People who have been following South African sports for a long time must know that Hansie Cronje was behind match-fixing in 2000. Soon after the dark secret got revealed, he died in a plane crash in 2002. Many experts say it was a planned murder by the criminals behind the scandal. But due to lack of evidence, none can prove the actual cause of death, and it still lingers in the history of South African sports as one of the biggest mysteries.