Brendon McCullum, the coach of the England Test team, has been in talks with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) over his role with 22Bet, a betting and gambling company. The news, which was reported by British media, has raised concerns among authorities like the Problem Gambling Foundation.
McCullum, who was the former captain of New Zealand, joined 22Bet as an ambassador in January and has appeared in online advertisements for the company. The ECB has rules in place around gambling and has stated that it will always seek to ensure that these are followed.
"We are exploring the matter and are in discussions with Brendon around his relationship with 22Bet," said the ECB. However, the ECB has clarified that McCullum is not currently under investigation.
According to the ECB's anti-discrimination code, soliciting, inducing, or encouraging any party to enter into a bet about the result or progress of a match or competition is an offence. The code suggests that such an offence would carry a minimum one-year period of "ineligibility".
McCullum is described as an official ambassador for 22Bet India in the company's promotional material. In January, he had tweeted to his 500,000-plus followers promoting 22Bet, but the tweet has since been deleted.
The controversy surrounding McCullum's ties with the gambling company has drawn attention to the issue of gambling in sports, particularly in cricket. The Problem Gambling Foundation has expressed concerns that such ties could encourage gambling and promote a culture of betting on sports.
The ECB has stated that it will continue to monitor the situation and ensure that its rules around gambling are upheld.