England’s assistant coach Paul Collingwood’s disappearance, citing “personal reasons,” has created quite a stir ahead of the Ashes.Collingwood’s last public media appearance came during England’s Third Test in Hamilton, New Zealand, last December.Paul Collingwood, England’s first-ever World Cup-winning cricket captain, is unlikely to be included in England’s backroom team for the Ashes, the Daily Mail has reported.Leaked photos and tapesWithin 56 days of being appointed temporary head coach for a series in the West Indies, images emerged of him kissing a woman in the sea on a Barbados beach. His England side had just lost by 10 wickets in the decisive third Test.A shadow of controversy has followed Collingwood since April 2023, after former teammate Graeme Swann revealed on the Rig Biz Podcast that an explicit audio recording involving the former England captain was circulating among cricketers. The leaked clip allegedly captured Collingwood in a two-hour-long sexual encounter with multiple women. While the details surrounding when and where it took place remain uncertain, Swann dismissed the recording as “pure Collingwood,” calling it proof of him being a “great tourist.”The strip bar incident in 2007Just over a day before leading England in their 2007 T20 World Cup clash against South Africa — a match where he was dismissed for a golden duck — Paul Collingwood was photographed at a Cape Town strip club named Mavericks.Collingwood, who had married his then-wife Vicky in the same city two years earlier, later explained, “I was taken to an inappropriate bar, and once I realised that, I left immediately.”He was fined £1,000 for the incident, but the matter was soon dropped.
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Tax fraudAdding to his troubles, Collingwood recently suffered a legal setback with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), which has ordered him to pay a £196,000 (around ₹2 crore) tax bill. The fine arises from a long-standing investigation into his use of a personal services company, “PDC Rights,” to channel earnings from sponsorship deals and reduce his tax liability.Although a previous case had been dropped in 2009, HMRC reopened the probe and determined that payments from brands such as Slazenger and Clydesdale Bank should be treated as self-employment income rather than corporate earnings. Collingwood recently lost his appeal and must now pay the full amount. Reports suggest he was addressing these tax matters in London when he missed England’s summer fixture against Zimbabwe.
