Police say death of Pakistan's coach was Murder

[SirFozzie]

From CricInfo:

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/wc2007/content/current/story/286445.html

Police are now treating Bob Woolmer's death as suspicious, Mark Shields, the deputy commissioner of police, told a news conference in Jamaica.

"We have already informed the Woolmer family of these developments," Shields said. "Having met with the pathologists, our medical personnel and investigators, there is now sufficient information to continue a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Woolmer, which we are now treating as suspicious."

Pervez Mir, the Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman, told AFP: "The police suspect that Woolmer may have been murdered. They have started an investigation." Unconfirmed reports suggested there had been signs of strangulation.

Shields said the police had been in close contact with the Pakistan team management, the Cricket World Cup committee and the ICC, but he would not speculate on the cause of Woolmer's death. "It would be inappropriate for me to make any comment at this stage as we have still not got the final official report from the pathologists," he said.

Talat Ali, the Pakistan team manager, told Geo TV they had not been given full details by the police. "They have not made any reference to poisoning or anything yet, as some reports are suggesting," Ali said. "There is no information at all that this poison could be involved. Investigations will carry on so we cannot come to any conclusions right now."

Ali denied Pakistan were not allowed to travel. "There are no police restrictions on the team," he said. "As planned for now, we are flying back on Saturday."

Woolmer, 58, was found unconscious in his hotel room on Sunday and pronounced dead shortly after at a Jamaica hospital. Woolmer's family said after speaking to doctors they expected his death came from a stress-related heart attack. An autopsy completed on Tuesday was inconclusive, but investigators were waiting for the results of toxicology tests to see if they helped determine the cause.

[Crapshoot]

Shit. I was petrified it might be suicide, but I sure as hell hope it isn't something even worse.

[Groundhog]

Soooo... anyone wanna put their hand up for the now-vacant Pakistan coaching position?

[Celeval]

Ugh... I had thought the same as crapshoot. Was psyched earlier to hear that Ireland had upset Pakistan, that's a huge upset from what I know of cricket (which is little), but this puts a serious damper on the whole world cup.

[Critch]

An Indian guy I work with says that one of their news organizations is saying that Woolmer was poisoned, and it's thought to be something to do with a match-fixing/gambling scheme.

Lots of rumors going about and this might be one of them though.

[SirFozzie]

Um.. Double Holy Fuck?

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21431188-2,00.html

'Bone broken in Woolmer's neck'

From correspondents in Kingston, Jamaica

March 22, 2007 10:38pm


* Unconfirmed report suggests strangulation
* Officer claims bone in face also broken
* Second opinion sought on autopsy

PAKISTAN'S World Cup coach Bob Woolmer may have been strangled to death, two Jamaican newspapers reported today quoting unnamed police sources.

The Jamaica Gleaner said a "high-ranking police officer" had confirmed that fresh evidence has surfaced which suggested that Woolmer was strangled in his room at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel between Saturday night and Sunday morning.

According to the police officer, the 58-year-old Woolmer was found half naked in his room, partially wrapped in a towel, the newspaper said. He was lying in a pool of blood, vomit and faeces.

Pictures of his body appear to show cuts to his ear and eyebrow.

"A bone in the neck, near the glands, was broken, and this suggests that somebody might have put some pressure on it," the officer told the newspaper.

"We are now treating this as a homicide."

The Jamaica Observer also quoted unnamed sources close to the investigation as saying that bones in the lower part of Woolmer's face were broken, suggesting he had been strangled.

Woolmer died in hospital on Sunday after being found unconscious in his hotel room a day after Pakistan were knocked out of the World Cup following a shock defeat by minnows Ireland.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Owen Ellington, head of World Cup security, however refused to confirm rumours of strangulation, the Gleaner said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Mark Shields had said on Tuesday that an autopsy conducted on Woolmer's body by a government pathologist proved inconclusive as to the cause of death which was being treated as "suspicious."

Shields said the police were awaiting the results of the toxicology and histology analysis from Woolmer's tissue sample.

Yesterday night, a press release from the Jamaica Constabulary Force director of communications, Karl Angell, said a second opinion was being sought on the autopsy.

"Following consultations today involving representatives from the Government of Jamaica and the police, a decision was taken to seek the opinion of a second pathologist," the release said.

Detectives also reviewed tapes from closed-circuit cameras at the hotel, which could give them clues as to who entered Woolmer's room during the period in question.

The Gleaner reported that members of the Pakistan team were interviewed on yesterday by the police.

"It is now unclear whether the team will be allowed to leave on Saturday as initially scheduled," the paper said.

Pakistan, who were knocked out of the tournament after losing to the West Indies and Ireland, defeated Zimbabwe in their last group D match at the Sabina Park yesterday.

[Ksyrup]

The attorney in the office next to me is originally from South Africa and follows cricket intensely. He says that the Pakistani team has been involved in loads of match-fixing schemes and all sorts of cheating and general shenanigans, so with that background, he definitely thought something was up the minute he heard about the guy's death.

Also, he said that to put the Pakistan loss to Ireland into perspective, it would roughly be the equivalent of Eastern Kentucky beating the Phoenix Suns.

[Crapshoot]

The attorney in the office next to me is originally from South Africa and follows cricket intensely. He says that the Pakistani team has been involved in loads of match-fixing schemes and all sorts of cheating and general shenanigans, so with that background, he definitely thought something was up the minute he heard about the guy's death.

Also, he said that to put the Pakistan loss to Ireland into perspective, it would roughly be the equivalent of Eastern Kentucky beating the Phoenix Suns.

I think he's a little over the top regarding the Pakistani match-fixing, given that the former South African captain (and a couple of its current players) were convicted of trying to throw matches as individuals, and as teams. The drug bit is pretty straight however.

However, He's right about the perspective - except Pakistan's schizophrenic as teams go - on their day, they can beat anyone, but also lose to anyone.

[AlexB]

Has he contacted Jamaican police? Shit, testimony like that will really help them :rolleyes:

Sorry, don't mean to be too harsh, but there are so many scurrilous stories at the moment it's untrue.

It's not just Pakistan that have had concerns over match fixing, cheating and general shenanigans - England have been caught out a couple of times (Athers & his dirt, bottle caps, etc), South Africa have been convicted of the most serious cheating in cricket in certainly recent history (Hansie Cronje), Pakistan got embroiled in the Darryl Hare incident in the summer which appears to have been the umpire's mistaken judgement from all available evidence...

Pakistan may/may not have been involved in something, and it may/may not have had a role in Woolmer's death, but the fact that is was common knowledge is simply untrue, and the main reason why all this is being spread as obvious is beacuse of Woolmer's death, however it came about.

They are neither the worst nor the only ones with aspersions against their character - however they are the only team with a recently deceased coach.

Let's not begin besmirching people & teams based on a US based South African cricket fan's say-so just yet.

[Crapshoot]

Has he contacted Jamaican police? Shit, testimony like that will really help them :rolleyes:

Sorry, don't mean to be too harsh, but there are so many scurrilous stories at the moment it's untrue.

It's not just Pakistan that have had concerns over match fixing, cheating and general shenanigans - England have been caught out a couple of times (Athers & his dirt, bottle caps, etc), South Africa have been convicted of the most serious cheating in cricket in certainly recent history (Hansie Cronje), Pakistan got embroiled in the Darryl Hare incident in the summer which appears to have been the umpire's mistaken judgement from all available evidence...

Pakistan may/may not have been involved in something, and it may/may not have had a role in Woolmer's death, but the fact that is was common knowledge is simply untrue, and the main reason why all this is being spread as obvious is beacuse of Woolmer's death, however it came about.

They are neither the worst nor the only ones with aspersions against their character - however they are the only team with a recently deceased coach.

Let's not begin besmirching people & teams based on a US based South African cricket fan's say-so just yet.

See the post above you. :D

And yeah, its a little early - I'd prefer to see what the official statements are.

[Ksyrup]

I don't really give a shit about cricket or besmirching anyone associated with the game, I was just recounting what the guy who sits in the office next to me said. Given the little I know of cricket, the subject was somewhat interesting, as was his take on it. Whether he's right or has a slanted view of it, I don't know and don't care. Ultimately, we'll find out what happened here and I'll go back to ignoring the game.

I was a little taken aback by what I read about riots and what-not after Pakistan lost, but given your response to a simple posting that really has no effect on anything, I guess I'm not too surprised about the rioting now. Yeesh.

[Crapshoot]

I don't really give a shit about cricket or besmirching anyone associated with the game, I was just recounting what the guy who sits in the office next to me said. Given the little I know of cricket, the subject was somewhat interesting, as was his take on it. Whether he's right or has a slanted view of it, I don't know and don't care. Ultimately, we'll find out what happened here and I'll go back to ignoring the game.

I was a little taken aback by what I read about riots and what-not after Pakistan lost, but given your response to a simple posting that really has no effect on anything, I guess I'm not too surprised about the rioting now. Yeesh.

Jeez - overreacting a little?

[Crapshoot]

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2040503,00.html

The police is denying they are treating it as murder right now.

[Ksyrup]

Jeez - overreacting a little?

My response was directed at Jari more than you. I thought your comments were measured and reasonable; his...not so much.

[Karlifornia]

http://img75.exs.cx/img75/8976/jiminy_cricket_valentine0204.jpg

[Crapshoot]

And now the shit has hit the proverbial fan - even the police are calling it murder.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6482981.stm

[SirFozzie]

This is gonna make the Andres Escobar thing look tame...

[JonInMiddleGA]

Bill Parcells was coaching the Paki cricket team? Who knew?

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42708000/jpg/_42708251_bobwoolmer203.jpg

[Crapshoot]

Bill Parcells was coaching the Paki cricket team? Who knew?

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42708000/jpg/_42708251_bobwoolmer203.jpg

Trust me Jon, Parcells would quit halfway through. The Pakistan cricket job is not the most.... "functional" job in the world. :D

[Easy Mac]

Pervez Mir, the Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman, told AFP: "The police suspect that Woolmer may have been murdered. They have started an investigation." Unconfirmed reports suggested there had been signs of strangulation.

In English, his name is More Perves.

[Shkspr]

In English, his name is More Perves.

I didn't even know Subby played cricket.

[AlexB]

My response was directed at Jari more than you. I thought your comments were measured and reasonable; his...not so much.

Yeah - I was a little OTT - strike the first line out and it's OK. Apologies for the first line.

[Subby]

I didn't even know Subby played cricket.
I'll do anything sans pants.

[Critch]

hxxp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6606175.stm

Seems Woolmer was poisoned, then strangled while incapacitated.

[Groundhog]

hxxp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6606175.stm

Seems Woolmer was poisoned, then strangled while incapacitated.

Sounds like suicide to me.