No security threat to Tendulkar: Lord Condon

London, June 16: On the eve of the arrival of the Indian team to England, a senior official of the International Cricket Council has said that there is no security threat to star batsman Sachin Tendulkar in the United Kingdom.

"There is no specific threat (to players) anywhere in the world," Lord Paul Condon, Director of the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit told when asked whether any special security measures were taken for Tendulkar during his stay here.

"Our task is not to deal with physical protection but to work as part of the anti-corruption unit," he said.

Lord Condon described India as one of the staunchest allies of the ICC in dealing with match-fixing. "I see India as one of the staunchest allies of ICC in dealing with match-fixing. India is the central gravity for world cricket and we rely very heavily on India and the sub-continent, he said.

Lord Condon was talking after presiding over a week-long Security Managers' Conference signalling the launch of the new anti-corruption infrastructure for world cricket.

N S Virk, former Superintendent of CBI who is one of the five security specialists recruited by the ICC to help safeguard the game from corruption, said incidents of match fixing was at the lowest ebb now because of deterrent actions taken.

"I can say with confidence that it (incident of match-fixing) is at the lowest ebb because of the deterrent action taken. Now the system is there and the Boards are very strict" Virk, who was involved in the investigative work that led to the publication of the major CBI Report into cricket match fixing in November 2000 said.

On measures taken to deal with the scourge of match-fixing, Virk said "It is an ongoing and long drawn process. Overall we have to educate the people, particularly all those who are involved in the game - the players, umpires and administrators.

"Irrespective of the country, the message has gone down well with national bodies and state associations that this game should be clean," he said.

He also emphasised that while dealing with the problem efforts should be made to see that players' private life was not affected.

"We have to be very sensitive to players' private life. At the same time, the players should know that they can not escape responsibility if there is any contact with bookies", he said.

Lord Condon said "the International game now has a highly professional security infrastructure that will provide cricket with a discreet but effective long term deterrent.

"The aim is to rid cricket from corruption once and for all, but in a fashion that does not inhibit the enjoyment of players and those who follow the game.", he said.

Arrie de Beer, former senior police officer of South Africa, Lt Col Nuruddin Khawaja, a former army officer of Pakistan, John Rhodes, former Inspector with the New South Wales Police Force and Bob Smalley, a career police officer with the Metropolitan Police Force in London were the other security specialists who attended the meeting.

The appointment of Security Managers was one of the major recommendations put forward by Lord Condon's Anti-Corruption Unit Report of April 2001 and accepted by the ICC Executive Board in June last year.