Gill sees no conspiracy in Woolmer death

NEW DELHI – The wife of Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer has dismissed the possibility of a conspiracy behind the death of her husband and rejected suggestions of any match-fixing link.

“I don’t see any conspiracy in his death,” Gill Woolmer told India’s NDTV television in an interview late on Wednesday. Her statement came after a Pakistan team official said Woolmer may have been murdered at the World Cup in Jamaica and as police said they were treating the death as suspicious.Woolmer, 58, died in hospital on Sunday after being found unconscious in his hotel room in Kingston, a day after Pakistan had been knocked out of the World Cup by Ireland’s part-timers.Gill Woolmer rejected speculation that gamblers were attempting to silence the Pakistan coach before the publication of his book, which media reports had said could “blow the lid” on match-fixing.”We never got any threats as far as I know,” she told NDTV.”He had nothing to do with the match-fixing controversy and any such person being involved is highly unlikely,” she added.In 2002, South African captain Hansie Cronje confessed to his involvement in the largest match-fixing scandal in the sport’s history.Woolmer was South Africa’s cricket coach at the time and a friend of Cronje but there was never any suggestion he knew anything about the bribes.Gill Woolmer said her husband was very depressed after Pakistan lost to Ireland in the World Cup.”He did mention (in an email) that he was really depressed and could not believe how this could have happened,” she said, speaking from Cape Town.”The Pakistani team’s poor performance affected him as any other big tournament that he lost as a coach.He believed that what happened, happened…one has to move on,” she added.Rejecting reports of a possible alcohol overdose, she also said Bob Woolmer was not taking any prescription drugs for diabetes.”He had Type 2 Diabetes, he was not prescribed any drugs for it.All those reports about the drinking are also rubbish.He was taking prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs and that is it,” she said.Late on Tuesday, Mark Shields, the deputy chief commissioner of the Jamaican police force, said the post-mortem into Woolmer’s death was inconclusive.”But having met with the pathologists and other medical personnel, there is sufficient information to continue a full investigation into the circumstances of Mr Woolmer’s death, which is now being treated as suspicious,” he said.Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman Pervez Mir said investigators were looking at the possibility “that Woolmer may have been murdered.”Two Jamaican newspapers, quoting unnamed police sources, reported yesterday that Woolmer may have been strangled.The Jamaica Observer said bones in the lower part of his face were broken, suggesting he had been strangled.Gill Woolmer said that her husband had enjoyed working with the Pakistan team and that the “Pakistani administration really looked after him well.””His contract with Pakistan was getting over in June 2007 and he was planning to talk to the Pakistan chairman,” she said.Nampa-AFPHer statement came after a Pakistan team official said Woolmer may have been murdered at the World Cup in Jamaica and as police said they were treating the death as suspicious.Woolmer, 58, died in hospital on Sunday after being found unconscious in his hotel room in Kingston, a day after Pakistan had been knocked out of the World Cup by Ireland’s part-timers.Gill Woolmer rejected speculation that gamblers were attempting to silence the Pakistan coach before the publication of his book, which media reports had said could “blow the lid” on match-fixing.”We never got any threats as far as I know,” she told NDTV.”He had nothing to do with the match-fixing controversy and any such person being involved is highly unlikely,” she added.In 2002, South African captain Hansie Cronje confessed to his involvement in the largest match-fixing scandal in the sport’s history.Woolmer was South Africa’s cricket coach at the time and a friend of Cronje but there was never any suggestion he knew anything about the bribes.Gill Woolmer said her husband was very depressed after Pakistan lost to Ireland in the World Cup.”He did mention (in an email) that he was really depressed and could not believe how this could have happened,” she said, speaking from Cape Town.”The Pakistani team’s poor performance affected him as any other big tournament that he lost as a coach.He believed that what happened, happened…one has to move on,” she added.Rejecting reports of a possible alcohol overdose, she also said Bob Woolmer was not taking any prescription drugs for diabetes.”He had Type 2 Diabetes, he was not prescribed any drugs for it.All those reports about the drinking are also rubbish.He was taking prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs and that is it,” she said.Late on Tuesday, Mark Shields, the deputy chief commissioner of the Jamaican police force, said the post-mortem into Woolmer’s death was inconclusive.”But having met with the pathologists and other medical personnel, there is sufficient information to continue a full investigation into the circumstances of Mr Woolmer’s death, which is now being treated as suspicious,” he said.Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman Pervez Mir said investigators were looking at the possibility “that Woolmer may have been murdered.”Two Jamaican newspapers, quoting unnamed police sources, reported yesterday that Woolmer may have been strangled.The Jamaica Observer said bones in the lower part of his face were broken, suggesting he had been strangled.Gill Woolmer said that her husband had enjoyed working with the Pakistan team and that the “Pakistani administration really looked after him well.””His contract with Pakistan was getting over in June 2007 and he was planning to talk to the Pakistan chairman,” she said.Nampa-AFP