BS: Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer murdered

Subject: BS: Bob Woolmer murdered
From: Rasener
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 03:14 AM

Why?

There seems to be a question hanging around about match fixing.

Does that mean that Pakistan threw the match against Ireland?

If so, should the World Cup be cancelled?

I suppose money and commercial pressure will ensure it continues in the name of Bob Woolmer.

However if matches are being rigged then its not worth carrying on.

Subject: RE: BS: Bob Woolmer murdered
From: alanabit
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 04:19 AM

We are shooting in the dark here. What we need is facts. Obvously it is not in everyone's interest that they emerge. That is not possible in a murder case. We have no evidence that the murder had anything to do with match fixing, so we should really start with a presumption of innocence.
For the time being, I think we should simply mourn the passing of a well liked man and extend our sympathies to his family and many friends.

Subject: RE: BS: Bob Woolmer murdered
From: GUEST,Justin
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 05:05 AM

Hopefully they will bring the killers to justice as soon as possible.

There is growing speculation that Bob had fallen victim to a "betting mafia." Considering leading contenders Pakistan were eliminated from the World Cup by debutants Ireland in a result which stunned cricket.

It is also known that he was writing a book at the time of his death.

Subject: RE: BS: Bob Woolmer murdered
From: GUEST,Sheerluck Holmes
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 05:26 AM

Strangely enough, an Irish official died in Jamaica a few days after:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/6476463.stm

It's probably not connected, but the Jamaica police seem peculiarly incompetent, surely a primer fascia case for an investigation?

Subject: RE: BS: Bob Woolmer murdered
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 09:16 AM

"He stated that the population of Canada was 32.7 million with Toronto having about 2.5 million people, almost the same as Jamaica?s entire population.

However there were, said Mr. Kingsley, approximately 658 murders recorded in Canada in 2005 and about 54 killings in Toronto, as opposed to 1,674 murders in Jamaica for the same period."

Source of quote

Jamaica has an horrific murder rate, and the police there are swamped more than incompetent.

However I think in the Bob Woolmer case they could be out of their depth, as bigger organisations may be involved in his killing.

Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Bob Woolmer murdered
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 09:45 AM

> we should really start with a presumption of innocence

I totally agree, but I think most people are presuming innocence, i.e. that he REFUSED to be party to match-fixing. The surprise defeat (IF it was a result of taking a dive) clearly could have been carried out regardless of his wishes - they're out on the field, he's not.

The national news here (Ireland) pointed out that Woolmer was a large man and the room showed no evidence of disturbance or forced entry, nor signs of any struggle. If you're strangled you thrash about so things get scattered and knocked over, which makes one wonder just how many men it took to subdue him to such an extent? That it was strangulation and not heart failure as suggested by the earlier news was apparently common knowledge among Jamaican journos & insiders. Why'd it take so long to get out? I heard this story two(?) days ago - unsubstantiated of course.

Anyway the world's sympathy is with him, and it seems far more likely that he was a victim rather than a perpetrator of anything dishonourable. R.I.P.

Subject: RE: BS: Bob Woolmer murdered
From: GUEST,Arnie
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 11:00 AM

I read that there is security CCTV on the corridor outside Bob's room, so hopefully the killer(s) will appear on it. What a tragedy - at the end of the day, cricket is only a game and it's hard to believe that anyone could be murdered over it. Dickie Bird was in tears when interviewed this lunchtime.

Subject: RE: BS: Bob Woolmer murdered
From: Flash Company
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 11:10 AM

I think the theory advanced about 'Match Throwing' was that Pakistan threw the West Indies match secure in the belief that they could beat Ireland, and it all unravelled. That was advanced by a Pakistani official by the way.

FC

Subject: RE: BS: Bob Woolmer murdered
From: jeffp
Date: 12 Jun 07 - 11:53 AM

The Jamaican police announced today that Bob Woolmer died of natural causes.

http://sports.yahoo.com/sk/news?slug=reu-worldwoolmer_urgent&prov=reuters&type=lgns