Mafia-hit theory says Bob knew too much

LONDON: Even as Scotland Yard awaits a call to help in the investigations into Bob Woolmer’s murder, a theory gaining ground is that the Pakistan coach could have been bumped off by cricket and drug mafia. The mafia, it is being suggested, cuts across continents and is involved in match-fixing.

Why a coach should pay for his life, when he never steps onto a field, and is therefore, considerably less influential than a player, is still unclear. It is plausible that some rabid fan(s), who could not digest Pakistan’s premature ouster from the World Cup, made the coach a scapegoat.

Doubtless, the Jamaican police, under deputy commissioner Mark Shields, are working on some other theories too. One such is that perhaps Woolmer knew too much of the match-fixing business - right from his days of coaching South Africa during Hansie Cronje’s captaincy – for somebody’s liking.

Cronje, who confessed to his role in the scam, died in a plane crash, leaving many questions unanswered. Whether Woolmer knew these answers, and may have been poised to tell, is currently one of the widespread conjectures.

It is now widely known that Woolmer was in the process of writing a book. While the perception is that this was to be a sort of coaching manual for youngsters, some believe that the book in fact could have been different.

Qamar Ahmed, former Pakistan first class player and a freelance writer based in London, who knew Woolmer well, says that the book was to be titled ‘Insha Allah’ (God Willing) which, admittedly, may just have been a working title. Ahmed, speaking on Sky News, however, said he did not doubt that match-fixing cartels are active in the sub-continent, where in the absence of legalised betting, criminal rackets are still abound.

Meanwhile, Scotland Yard is on standby to help the Jamaican constabulary with the investigations into Woolmer’s murder, and trained officers are ready to travel to the West Indies at a moment’s notice.

“We have offered our assistance, but the Jamaican Police are yet to ask for it,” a Scotland Yard spokesman told DNA. The Yard has already decided on the officers to be sent out to help local authorities in the investigations, but are keeping their names under wraps until they receive a formal request from the Jamaican Police. “We know who will be sent out, but we are not at liberty to say right now,” said a Scotland Yard officer.

The Yard has been working with the International Security Advisory Group since 2006, organising and advising on security arrangements for the World Cup and has close links with both the Jamaican government and police.

Jamaican police deputy commissioner Mark Shields, who has been leading the murder investigation so far, is a former officer of the Scotland Yard. Paul Condon, a cricket corruption expert and also a former commissioner of Scotland Yard, is also ready to fly to Jamaica from London to help in the probe.