Mervyn Westfield to Educate Players and Rebuild His Life 03/07/13

Mervyn Westfield to Educate Players and Rebuild His Life – 03/07/13 Mervyn Westfield, 25, has been through the most incredible two and a half years of his young life, including spending eight weeks in Belmarsh Prison, a Category A High Security Prison, once described as the British version of Guantanamo Bay. Without doubt, the difficulties he and his family have faced, have been from his own making, albeit, from a young and naïve starting point. After his appeal hearing yesterday at the International Dispute Resolution Centre in London, Mervyn said, “I’m sorry for what I’ve done. I just want to put it right now and help identify the clear dangers that exist. Cricket has been my life since I was six and it’s all that I know, what I love and what I live for. I have missed playing so much. ‘‘I hope people can forgive my actions and maybe even find it in themselves to understand how difficult I’ve found it to cope with every step of this affair. I will now do all I can to help the PCA and others to educate cricketers, especially young ones, to ensure nobody else has to go through what I have.” Mervyn has committed to working with the Professional Cricketers’ Association in creating tutorials, attending pre-season meetings and the annual mandatory Rookie Camp. He will be allowed to play club cricket again from 1 April 2014, however, he won’t be allowed to play first-class cricket until 2017. Jason Ratcliffe, PCA Assistant CEO, said, “We respect the appeal panel’s decision to uphold the five-year ban from professional cricket but appreciate bringing forward the time when he can integrate back into club cricket. His personal insight will now complement our existing anti-corruption tutorials and be one of the most powerful tools we have in the fight against corruption within cricket. There is nothing more powerful than player testimony, as we’ve found with our ‘Mind Matters’ tutorial programme which cover a multitude of social issues.” Yasin Patel, Barrister for Mervyn, stated, ” The reduction in sentence was just and right in light of the assistance Mervyn has provided in giving evidence at the Disciplinary and Appeal Tribunals.” -ENDS- For more information, please contact: David Leatherdale on 07990558681 or email dleatherdale@thepca.co.uk Yasin Patel – 25 Bedford Row, 07956 937684 www.25bedfordrow.com For further information: PCA Anti-Corruption Tutorials https://www.thepca.co.uk/anti-corruption.html Mind Matters https://www.thepca.co.uk/mind-matters.html