Butt, Asif, Amir file appeals against ICC suspension

English police delay questioning of Wahab Riaz over spot-fixing scandal, Amir may become ICC informant claims report.


September 14, 2010

Pakistani cricketers Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif on Tuesday filed appeals against ICC suspensions.

The three players were suspended by the ICC after charges of spot fixing were leveled against them. PCB's Legal Adviser Taffazul Rizvi said the appeals were filed after the three cricketers held a meeting with  PCB Chief Ijaz Butt at its headquarters in Lahore.

The ICC had given the players 14 days to submit their appeals. PCB has hired a British lawyer Elizabeth Robertson who sent the appeals to the ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat. A three member ICC panel will take action on these appeals within 40 days.

ICC to engage governments

In a statement issued after a meeting of the ICC Chief Executives' Committee in Cape Town, Haroon Lorgat said the committee has recommended wide-ranging and independent review of the current ICC anti-corruption measures.

The ICC chief executive said a review of procedures and protocols is already under way. He asserted that he is keen to engage with governments to consider the regulation of betting.

The accreditation of player representatives or agents will also be considered.
Police delay questioning of Pakistan bowler Wahab Riaz

English police have delayed the questioning of Pakistan fast bowler Wahab Riaz over alleged spot-fixing during the England tour until Wednesday, team manager Yawar Saeed said.

"Wahab will be going on Wednesday as there was some prior commitment he had to deal with first," Saeed said, without elaborating.

Riaz, 25, a left-armer, claimed five wickets on his debut in the third test against England and was a member of Pakistan's squad for the five-match one-day series, but he did not play in the first two.

London police have already interviewed test captain Salman Butt and pace bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, who have been suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) over allegations they were involved in fixing incidents, such as no-balls, in a betting scam during the test series.

The trio have returned to Pakistan but on the condition they would be available for police questioning when required.

The legal advisor of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Tafazzul Rizvi, told Reuters the tour selection committee took the decision not to select Riaz for the one day matches, denying that it was a result of ICC or PCB pressure.

"He is available for selection as any other player in the touring squad," Rizvi said.

Amir may become ICC informant: report

Pakistan’s teenage pacer Mohammad Amir, who is implicated in the spot-fixing scandal, could become an informant for the ICC and reveal "dodgy betting identities that corrupted him" to escape a life ban, a media report said on Tuesday.

According to a report in the Daily Telegraph, Amir is ready for the “high-risk roll of the dice that could put his life in danger”. Quoting sources, the newspaper reported that the 18-year-old fast bowler is contemplating cooperating with the police and the ICC's investigations into the spot fixing and match-fixing allegations that have followed a British tabloid's sting operation on alleged bookie Mazhar Majeed.

"It is understood the 18-year-old wants to tell his story and possibly give evidence against Butt, Asif and other Pakistani players under investigation.” Given his tender age, inexperience and potential cooperation with authorities, there is a high likelihood that Amir could receive a watered-down penalty compared to the life bans that could be dished out to some of the other alleged cheats," the newspaper reported.

COMMENTS

Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ