Kingston: Even as the Bob Woolmer murder mystery remains unresolved after two weeks, the ICC is probing three of its Elite Panel umpires as a part of an inquiry into match-fixing, a newspaper report has claimed.

Late on Sunday, however, ICC denied any such move, saying there was “no truth in the allegation”.

“The recent death of Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer has triggered suggestions of match-fixing. Not only have players been implicated, but a well-placed source says at least three umpires on the ICC Elite Panel are being investigated by Lord Condon’s Anti-Corruption Unit,” a Jamaican daily said on Sunday.

“The intelligence source says these investigations were done because it was found that some umpires have offshore banking accounts thought to be set up by match-fixers,” it claimed.

“According to the intelligence expert, in matches where umpires are crooked, at least one captain is aware of the match-fixing scheme, so he normally brings his best bowler from the end where the umpire believed to be crooked is standing,” the report claimed.

Reacting to the report, an ICC official, however, said, “We do not have to respond to each and every nonsense that is published.

“These are mere allegations and unless they are backed by facts, we refuse to be drawn into speculations,” he said over the phone on Sunday, adds A Staff Reporter in Calcutta.

“The intelligence agent suggests that a series of matches within the last three years have prompted Lord Condon’s team to investigate, and Woolmer was aware of these investigations,” the report said.

“Against this backdrop, the source suggests that Woolmer’s death had two reasons: Firstly, because Pakistan dropped out of the World Cup causing persons to lose plenty of money; and secondly, because there was a feeling that he was going to bare what he knew about match-fixing,” said the report. (PTI)