Hampshire bowler Chris Wood given two-month suspended ban for gambling breaches

Hampshire bowler Chris Wood has been given a two-month suspended ban by the ECB after admitting to breaching gambling rules.

The 30-year-old was charged by the ECB’s ant-corruption unit having placed a total of nine bets on cricket matches, two in 2011 and seven in 2016.

Wood opened up on his gambling addiction earlier this year and last month, in an interview for Safer Gambling Week, he spoke of being “governed by fear” before speaking out on his struggles for the first time in April.

• Chris Wood: I was scared to admit gambling addiction

An ECB statement read: “Hampshire bowler Chris Wood has received a two-month suspended ban following an investigation by the ECB’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU).

“Wood admitted to charges relating to a total of nine bets that he placed on cricket matches in 2011 (two bets) and 2016 (seven bets). These actions breached Article 2.2.1 of the relevant ECB Anti-Corruption Codes that were in place at the time.

“When contacted by the ACU, Wood immediately accepted responsibility for his betting activity and fully co-operated with the investigation.

“Under Article 5.1.12 of the ECB Anti-Corruption Code for Participants, the ECB and Wood reached the agreed sanction, which was then ratified by the Chair of the independent Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC), Tim O’Gorman. The two-month period of ineligibility is suspended for two years.

“The agreed sanction took into account several mitigating factors. The investigation found that the bets placed by Wood did not affect (or have the potential to affect) the result of the relevant matches and that he did not play in the relevant matches. At the time of the offences Wood was suffering from a gambling disorder; he has since sought help and has spoken publicly about the issues he has faced and is providing advice and assistance to others experiencing problems with or addiction to gambling, both inside and outside of sport.”

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