Modi is certain that match-fixing will become more prominent in the future

Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi believes that match-fixing has become cricket’s cancer, stating that there is no cure for it and added that it would go on spreading like wildfire as players and officials will continue to be approached by bookies in the future.

Modi noted that he has survived three attempts on his life for refusing to fix any IPL matches while he was in charge of the tournament.

Modi made all these claims in an exclusive interview that was published in Ed Hawkins’ book, titled Bookie Gambler Fixer Spy: A Journey to the Heart of Cricket’s Underworld.

“Spot-fixing is rife in the game,” Sports24 quoted Modi as saying in the book. “And I’m talking globally. It’s a Pandora’s box. It’s staring you straight in the face, but difficult to prove. Almost impossible to prove.”

The former IPL chairman stated that players have to be constantly warned about bookies trying to convince them in any way possible to take part in the illegal activity and added that it was starting to become harder to spot.

“I think it (IPL) was clean, but I could never, sitting here today, categorically tell you that we picked up everything for spot-fixing, and that goes for all games, not just IPL,” Modi said. “It’s extremely difficult to spot. We had to warn players from time to time. We found undesirable elements in the stadium and removed them. We found them touring with players or managers of players who were in touch with bookmakers and we removed them.”

Modi also recounted the three attempts on his life, stating that the first had come at the end of March in Mumbai in 2009.

“There was a shoot-out outside my house and one guy got killed and one got picked up,” Modi added.

The next attempt was made in South Africa in the same year, while the third came in Phuket, Thailand, in January 2010.