- Saturday, March 01, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
The appearance of England cricket team’s head coach Brendon McCullum in online betting advertisements has landed him in a fix with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) investigating whether it violates the governing body’s anti-corruption rules.
The 41-year-old McCullum, a former New Zealand captain and wicket-keeper-batter, had appeared in online advertisements after joining betting organisation ’22Bet’ as an ambassador in January. On March 27, he shared a video on his Facebook page promoting 22Bet’s markets on the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL).
“We are exploring the matter and are in discussions with Brendon around his relationship with 22Bet,” the ECB was quoted as saying by the BBC.
“We have rules in place around gambling and will always seek to ensure these are followed.”
The ECB, however, clarified that McCullum is not currently under any investigation.
Last week, New Zealand’s Problem Gambling Foundation had complained to the ECB.
According to ECB’s anti-discrimination code “directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging, facilitating or authorising any other party to enter into a bet in relation to the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any match or competition” is an offence.
The code suggests such an offence would carry a minimum one-year period of “ineligibility”.
McCullum has had a successful stint as the coach of England as under his coaching since May last year, the Three Lions have won 10 of their last 12 Test matches.
(With PTI inputs)
