Ramnarine

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

DINANATH RAMNARINE, executive president of the West Indies Players' Association (WIPA), believes regional cricket officials need to do more to educate players about anti-corrupion and anti-doping.

Ramnarine was giving his response to allegations that West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels leaked team information to an Indian bookmaker during last month's trip to the sub-continent for a series of four one-day internationals.

"The simple truth is not enough is being done to educate the players about the anti-corruption code - and also the anti-doping code," Ramnarine told reporters on Friday at a news conference. "We have issues with the lack of education for the players. The Federation of International Cricketers' Associationshas raised the issue with the International Cricket Council (ICC), but little has changed."

Ramnarine observed that players in a team change from time-to-time and the programme of education must be widespread and ongoing.

"You may make a presentation to one group, but the team playing in the next series could be totally different," he said. "In the West Indies, there is a need for all the players to understand these codes because no one ever knows when they will be selected, but it is an issue that we are prepared to work with the West Indies Cricket Board on, and I think we will all be able to agree on this one."

In contact

Ramnarine disclosed that he had been in constant contact with Samuels about his situation.

"He has emphatically denied any wrongdoing of any sort and I have no reason to doubt him," the WIPA boss said. "WIPA will do whatever we can to support Marlon at this time - and we have been doing so already. We have been in contact with him several times on a daily basis - and we will continue to play our part. We are still receiving information, and there is process for dealing with these matters. The ICC has a code relating to these things, and all we can do is make sure - whoever the player - is treated in a fair manner. Marlon says he will cooperate with the authorities fully to prove his innocence and this is all we can ask of him."

The ICC has dispatched a team from its Anti-Corruption Unit to India to carry out investigations into the matter. They will arrive today and conduct discussions with the Nagpur police.

Samuels is accused of sharing team information prior to the first ODI last January 21 against India at Nagpur with a man police have identified as a bookmaker.The West Indies lost a tense match by 14 runs.