Bob Woolmer Dies

[saveferris]

Asian News channels have reported that someone has been arrested in connection with his murder.

Link

Also says in this story how Woolmer's neighbour in the hotel Danish Kaneria heard nothing and also that Woolmer was planning to resign which is no surprise. Geoff Boycott also confirmed that story today.

Another claims a West Indian cricketer is involved.

[Bob]

Asian News channels have reported that someone has been arrested in connection with his murder.

Link

Also says in this story how Woolmer's neighbour in the hotel Danish Kaneria heard nothing and also that Woolmer was planning to resign which is no surprise. Geoff Boycott also confirmed that story today.

Another claims a West Indian cricketer is involved.

I just hope they get it right. It could turn into a farce if they just try and fit someone up... leading to much wider implications.

SAR has talked a lot of sense on this thread.

[saveferris]

yeah you are right...i was listening to five live absolutely crucify the Pakistani team, because they were allowed to leave Kingston to go to Montego Bay.

Think there is already a bit of a witch hunt there, unfairly as no one has been questioned under caution. Surely the team wouldnt be able to go anywhere if the Jamaican police said they couldn't.

There is also a lot of under estimation regarding the effect of the event on the South African team, from what I hear he is considered a legend, and they considered forfeiting the tournament.

[Zambian_Red]

I am wondering whether or not it is someone from a betting syndicate who did this. After all, a plan has backfired in my opinion.

Who would have predicted that Ireland vs Zimbabwe would have ended in a draw. Most would have predicted a Zimbabwe win in that game, any money was on Ireland to beat Pakistan, as thats where the big bucks were to win (possibly a Bangladesh/Ireland double??) then Pakistan to beat Zimbabwe. As things stand Pakistan would have gone through on run rate if that had panned out.

Also the wicket against Ireland was the only green wicket to be played on so far in the entire tournament. I reckon people have lost out on loads of money as they betted Pakistan to go through despite their defeat.

Just my conspiracy theory on events.

Regardless its absolutely disgraceful if someone is involved in the murder (as opposed to it potentially being an accident) at best its a unfortunate thing to happen, to someone who has done a great deal for cricket in many countries and especially Pakistan, really put some fighting spirit into the team.

I visited couple of pakistani/indian forums and most people on it are discussing the fact that the pakistan vs ireland matched was somehow fixed along the lines of when wickets will fall and how many runs ro be scored.

Theres also a mention about certain players who have had tied with bookmakers/gambling sidicates, and apparently Bob woolmer got hold of information of this and was ready to face the officials that is the ICC and the pakistani officials.

This whole thing stinks and doesnt make sense, why would woolmer be killied something is very very wrong here and i wouldnt be surprised if one or two pakistani players are implicated, well thats just my hunch

[Dhav]

I visited couple of pakistani/indian forums and most people on it are discussing the fact that the pakistan vs ireland matched was somehow fixed along the lines of when wickets will fall and how many runs ro be scored.

Theres also a mention about certain players who have had tied with bookmakers/gambling sidicates, and apparently Bob woolmer got hold of information of this and was ready to face the officials that is the ICC and the pakistani officials.

This whole thing stinks and doesnt make sense, why would woolmer be killied something is very very wrong here and i wouldnt be surprised if one or two pakistani players are implicated, well thats just my hunch

The match fixing allegations have followed the Pakistanis around for years - I can certainly remember their own fans accusing the players after the World Cup in 1999. If their own fans beleive it about players they supposedly idolise it tells you a lot. Either way, hopefully this investigation will uncover everything once and for all.

[SouthAfricaRed]

Lets have a look at upset results involving Minnows in the World Cup

1975 - No Upset results involving Minnows
1979 - India lose to Sri Lanka and fail to qualify for Next round
1983 - Australia lose to Zimbabwe and fail to qualify for next Round
1987 - No Upset results involving Minnows
1992 - England lose to Zimbabwe after England had already Qualified for Semi Finals
1996 - West Indies lose to Kenya after West Indies had already Qualified for Quarter Finals
1999 - Pakistan lose to Bangladesh after Pakistan had already Qualified for next Round
2003 - No Upset results involving Minnows
2007 - Pakistan lose to Ireland and India to Bangladesh

Some interesting results, but hardly anything like we've seen this World Cup

[fowlen]

I have been on business in Germany and due to a heavy workload have had little time for anything. When I logged onto the Skysports website I saw the headlines of Bob Woolmer's death.

I was horrified, and a cold chill ran down my spine, especially since he did so much for South African cricket....

My first impression was that it was not natural. The second I saw the headline I believed that he had been murdered. My initial feeling, which still remains is that it was not anything to do with match fixing or his players. Unfortunately there are some pretty bad people involved with many sports, many of whom are supporters, and I believe that he was murdered by (a) disgruntled fan(s), who were livid at Pakistan's exit.

I just hope that the perp(s) is(are) found and brought to justice.

It is a very sad incident, and although the WC must continue, I hope that the ICC does something symbolic and names the futuretournaments in his honour. He may never have won the world cup, but he is difinitely one of the best coaches to have been part of the sport in the modern era.

RIP Bob.
YNWA

[SouthAfricaRed]

My first impression was that it was not natural. The second I saw the headline I believed that he had been murdered. My initial feeling, which still remains is that it was not anything to do with match fixing or his players. Unfortunately there are some pretty bad people involved with many sports, many of whom are supporters, and I believe that he was murdered by (a) disgruntled fan(s), who were livid at Pakistan's exit.

I just hope that the perp(s) is(are) found and brought to justice.

I dont think it was possible for a Stranger/Fan to have access to his suite or the Floor they were staying on. Also he was found partially covered only with a towel, which suggests that he was comfortable with whoever it was in his room

It is a very sad incident, and although the WC must continue, I hope that the ICC does something symbolic and names the futuretournaments in his honour. He may never have won the world cup, but he is difinitely one of the best coaches to have been part of the sport in the modern era.

RIP Bob.
YNWA

I agree, they should name the Trophy after him

[fowlen]

I dont think it was possible for a Stranger/Fan to have access to his suite or the Floor they were staying on. Also he was found partially covered only with a towel, which suggests that he was comfortable with whoever it was in his room

But we all know how easy it is to access any floor in any hotel and even to get into a room of someone we don't know. All you need is a working key or pose as a waiter, room service etc.

He may have been comortable with who ever was in there, but they could have also been accompanied by someone else.

A gambling syndicte also makes no sense. Surely the best way of winning money would be on a massive upset, so bookies and gangsters would stand to make loads on an unfancied team defeating a fancied team...not the other way around. Also, as a coach or management it is harder to influence the outcome of an event as you need every one else to be involved...

He may have been approached and politely declined an offer of match fixing, or he may have had knowledge of some players or umpires being involved in match fixing????

I have never and still do not believe that he was personally involved with this type of activity.

[tsb]

Maybe so but you are accepting that the authorities over there are up to standard. I've seen nothing so far that clearly indicates murder. There has been too much playing to the press by the authorities over there.

"Mark Shields, a former Scotland Yard chief superintendent who is heading the investigation, said: "I think it is a possibility that Bob may have known his killer or killers. The card entry system on the door and in the lift lends itself to that, although we have not ruled out a stranger." (Guardian)

Scotland Yard is in London right? I think we can safely say that the authorities over there are up "to standard".

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/cricketworldcup2007/story/0,,2041673,00.html

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/cricketworldcup2007/story/0,,2041836,00.html

[SouthAfricaRed]

But we all know how easy it is to access any floor in any hotel and even to get into a room of someone we don't know. All you need is a working key or pose as a waiter, room service etc.

He may have been comortable with who ever was in there, but they could have also been accompanied by someone else.

A gambling syndicte also makes no sense. Surely the best way of winning money would be on a massive upset, so bookies and gangsters would stand to make loads on an unfancied team defeating a fancied team...not the other way around. Also, as a coach or management it is harder to influence the outcome of an event as you need every one else to be involved...

He may have been approached and politely declined an offer of match fixing, or he may have had knowledge of some players or umpires being involved in match fixing????

I have never and still do not believe that he was personally involved with this type of activity.

I also dont believe that he was involved with something like that. Besides as you said as a manager he would have little influence on the result. But i do believe that he had found information that could expose it all and was going to expose it. He was silenced to prevent him doing that.

Someone posted a link to an Asian News Report in this thread. I found this in that report

With a strong match-fixing angle being linked to Woolmer's murder, there are reports now that he had made a set of recommendations to former Pakistan Cricket Board chief Shahryar Khan to strengthen the PCB's hand against match-fixing.

But the suggestions were not implemented
Woolmer was believed to be of the view that the captain is the key player for bookies as he makes decisions that influence the outcome of a game, so only a person of impeccable character should be made skipper.


He suggested that Pakistani cricketers declare their assets at the start of their careers and submit details every year.


The coach felt the PCB should audit these figures with those obtained from independent inquiries with the players' employers, including counties, leagues, and banks.


Woolmer also recommended a ban on use of cellphones by players during a match and all calls be routed through the team manager.


Another significant proposal he made was to increase the remunerations of the cricketers and offer incentives for winning.

Sounds like he suspected something and obviously wasnt involved

[DeeGame]

Cricket still corrupted - Vaughan

England captain Michael Vaughan believes match-fixing is still going on at the highest levels of cricket.

Vaughan said he had no personal experience of it but added "my gut feeling is that there is still some kind of corruption in the game".

He was speaking amid speculation that Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer may have been murdered because he was about to expose match-fixing.

He was strangled after Pakistan lost to minnows Ireland in the World Cup.

Vaughan added: "I haven't studied it but there are bad things I've seen in certain passages of games.

"It's very hard to clear the whole of cricket from match-fixing."

Match-fixing has blighted cricket over the last 15 years with five former players receiving life bans for corrupting the game, including former South Africa captain Hansie Cronje and India skipper Mohammad Azharuddin.

The other players given life bans were Ajay Sharma (India), Salim Malik and Ata-ur-Rehman (Pakistan).

South African Herschelle Gibbs was suspended for six months by his national board in 2000 after admitting he agreed to under-perform in a one-day international in exchange for money.

And Australians Shane Warne and Mark Waugh were fined in 1994 after accepting money from a bookmaker for supplying pitch information during a tour to Sri Lanka, a matter which only came to light four years later.

Vaughan made his Test debut against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1999-2000, a match revealed later to have been fixed by Cronje.

"I have never had any incidences or been involved in any conversations regarding the fixing of a game of cricket," Vaughan said.

"I have never been approached and hopefully to God never will be because we don't want to see that in the game.

"I played in the Centurion Test that was fixed by Hansie Cronje but I was just a young lad and never thought anything was untoward."

Lord MacLaurin, the former chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, echoed Vaughan's comments.

He told BBC Five Live: "Wherever you look, whether you look at cricket or you look at business or wherever you look, you do see corruption. That is a way of our life unfortunately, so I wouldn't take cricket out of the equation."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/6490801.stm

[DeeGame]

Woolmer 'poisoned and strangled'
By Andrew Pierce, Nick Hoult and Toby Harnden in Kingston
Last Updated: 10:05am GMT 24/03/2007

Bob Woolmer, the Pakistan coach, was poisoned and then strangled as he was about to go public with allegations of corruption in international cricket, it was claimed yesterday.


Jamaica's Deputy Commissioner of Police Mark Shields is flanked by journalists at a press conference in Kingston


Police believe food or alcohol delivered to Mr Woolmer's hotel room in Jamaica after Pakistan's shock World Cup exit might have been poisoned to incapacitate him before he was killed. They have been scouring CCTV footage and other electronic records from the Kingston hotel where Mr Woolmer was strangled.

Speculation that he was murdered to silence him before he blew the whistle on match-fixing in the game intensified yesterday.

Today, former chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board Lord MacLaurin called for a major review of the ruling body of world cricket.

"When you've got something like this happening, which has really besmirched this world cup, we've got to look at absolutely everything in cricket and make sure no stone is unturned to make sure we do the very, very best for cricket around the world," he said.

The Daily Telegraph can disclose that Mr Woolmer was planning to write a book about cricket which would include a chapter on the issue.

In an email, seen by The Daily Telegraph, Mr Woolmer wrote: "I am going to write a book on my tenure as Pakistan coach. I shall only start after the World Cup... I believe, regardless of the money, the story is worth telling, has to be told and in the correct way. I am not a name and shame guy, just the honest facts. Let the punter make up his mind etc."

The Pakistani journalist who received the email is so fearful for his safety that he has asked not to be named.

It came as Barry Richards, one of South Africa's finest Test cricketers and best man at Mr Woolmer's wedding, said: "There was a feeling around that Bob was going to expose something." He added: "There is a dark side to cricket. The game got on top of it for a while but it has never really been stamped out. Bob was passionate about the game. Perhaps too passionate."

Mr Woolmer was also distressed after being told by a trusted friend of suspicious movements in betting markets in Bombay a month before last Saturday's match against Ireland, a game which saw Pakistan humiliated.

The news of 58-year-old Mr Woolmer's murder plunged cricket into an unprecedented crisis as the question of whether the Caribbean tournament should continue was hotly debated.


Pakistan team manager Talat Ali has urged Jamaican authorities to allow the squad to return home

Officers, who suspect that match-fixing may have been the motive for the killing, are concentrating on the shock defeat to Ireland rather than Pakistan's earlier game against the West Indies.

They are convinced that Mr Woolmer knew his killer or killers and, if the murderer acted alone, believe it would have taken a large man to overpower the 6ft 1in, heavily-built former England batsman.

Mark Shields, the British deputy police commissioner leading the inquiry, said: "Unless of course he was in some way drugged, [Mr Woolmer] would have been difficult to restrain." He added: "We're not looking at a professional assassin in my view."

All 22 members of the Pakistan team, and other hotel guests, were swabbed for DNA samples yesterday. Mr Shields said this was for "elimination purposes" and did not mean any of them were suspects.

He said there was no sign of forced entry into Mr Woolmer's room at the Pegasus Hotel and that his possessions were not disturbed.

"It's imperative we keep an open mind, but I have to say at this stage it looks as if it may be somebody somehow linked to him because, clearly, he let somebody into his hotel room and it may be he knew who that person was," he added.

Last night Mr Woolmer's widow, Gill, who lives in South Africa, and her two sons, Dale and Russell, said they were overwhelmed by the loss.

In a statement they said: "It is very difficult for the family to come to terms with, and they have no idea why this happened. To the best of the family's knowledge there is absolutely nothing to suggest Bob was involved in match-fixing."

They said that they were not aware that he had received any threats.

After Pakistan's defeat to Ireland, and the surprise loss of India to Bangladesh on the same day, Mr Woolmer may have changed his mind about naming those he might have believed were involved in taking bribes dating back to his days as coach of South Africa.

Fears that the gambling underworld played a role in the murder were heightened when the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption unit chief investigator, Jeff Rees, flew to Jamaica to help with the investigation.

Sir Ian Blair, the head of the Metropolitan Police, said he had offered Jamaican investigators every assistance.

CCTV footage and other electronic records from the hotel were being scoured for clues yesterday. There have been three murders at the hotel in the last year.

Lord MacLaurin, the former chairman of England and Wales Cricket Board, said of the murder: "I think it's one of the greatest tragedies in cricket, certainly in my lifetime."

He added: "I think people will remember Bob as one of the greatest coaches the world has ever seen."

Mr Woolmer was coach of the South African team when Hansie Cronje, the team captain, was exposed for rigging matches. Cronje died in a mysterious plane crash in 2002.

After he died Mr Woolmer, who was never implicated in the scandal, said: "The South African team would have walked off Table Mountain for him.

"Shakespeare could not have written a more tragic story. He was the best ambassador for South Africa as a captain and as a person."

Mr Woolmer's body will be kept in Jamaica pending a coroner's inquest into his death.

A coroner on the island has ruled that the inquest, with a jury, will be held "as soon as practical" but a date has yet to be set.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...r24.xml&page=1

[Red_Al_77]

So have they had the results of the toxicology tests?

[Red_Al_77]

Bob Woolmer, the Pakistan coach, was poisoned and then strangled as he was about to go public with allegations of corruption in international cricket, it was claimed yesterday.


Police believe food or alcohol delivered to Mr Woolmer's hotel room in Jamaica after Pakistan's shock World Cup exit might have been poisoned to incapacitate him before he was killed. They have been scouring CCTV footage and other electronic records from the Kingston hotel where Mr Woolmer was strangled.

This lot doesn't fit with this statement:


Mark Shields, the British deputy police commissioner leading the inquiry, said: "Unless of course he was in some way drugged, [Mr Woolmer] would have been difficult to restrain." He added: "We're not looking at a professional assassin in my view."