South Africa bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe gets eight-year suspension for match fixing

New Delhi: Former South Africa and Highveld Lions player Lonwabo Tsotsobe has been banned for eight years for his part in a 2015 match-fixing scandal, Cricket South Africa said on Tuesday. 

In April, Tsotsobe was charged by CSA for several breaches of its Anti-Corruption Code relating to the 2015 RAM SLAM T20 Challenge Series.

“I was, at the time, in a very vulnerable financial state and this dilemma too easily persuaded me to participate in spot fixing," he said in a statement. 
"There are no words to describe the regret I have in relation to my actions and I hope that the cricket world could consider my apology and understand my deepest feeling of remorse,” said Tsotsobe.

The ban will run for eight years from 24 April 2017, which is the date that Tsotsobe was provisionally suspended from participating in all cricketing activities following the notice of charge issued to him by CSA.

The 33-year-old became the seventh player to be charged with breaching Anti-Corruption Code.

The previous findings saw bans imposed on Gulam Bodi, Jean Symes, Pumi Matshikwe, Ethy Mbhalati, Thami Tsolekile and Alviro Petersen for offences under the Code.