As per routine, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) came under heavy criticism since the spot-fixing accusations came to light in England last year. Its handling of the case and the players was termed irresponsible at the time and even in the recent hearings, it was mentioned that the PCB had not assisted the authorities.
However, following the sentences handed out to the trio, a PCB official revealed that the board was barred from taking any action against the cricketers by the London Police immediately after the revelations.
Former cricketers and critics have argued that the board should have taken action against the players immediately by suspending them and solved the matter internally which could have saved the country from global disgrace.
However, the official, who was in London when the Scotland Yard launched its investigations, said that the board was not allowed to interfere.
“London Police stopped the PCB from taking any action,” the official told The Express Tribune. “The PCB received a letter from them telling it to stay away from the case soon after the raid on the players’ rooms. The police wanted to investigate the matter itself because the crime was committed within their jurisdiction.”
The official, however, refuted reports that the PCB did not assist the Crown Prosecution Service in the case saying the board went all out for support during the investigation.
“The lawyers and Ijaz Butt asked the players many times to come out clean but they refused to accept the offence. Had they accepted their mistakes, things would have been different.”
Ijaz hopes for end of spot-fixing
Meanwhile, Butt, who was the chairman of the board when the scandal broke out, confirmed that the players misguided the PCB.
“We asked them to tell us everything and we assured them we would do everything in our power to help them,” Butt said in an interview. “They kept on lying to us and it is because of them we see this day.”
However, he hoped that after the verdict, spot-fixing will come to an end.
“I’m confident that corruption will not happen in Pakistan cricket again. The PCB took several stringent measures to ensure every player and official was aware of how to conduct themselves and stay away from corrupt people.”
PCB to push for law against corruption
In an official statement following the sentence, the PCB termed it a ‘sad day’ for Pakistan cricket and promised measures to avoid any repeats of the event.
“The conviction and sentencing is a sad day for Pakistan cricket,” read the PCB statement which also pledged that the board will root out corruption. “A recommendation would be made to the government to consider passing a law making corruption in sports a criminal offence. This wouldn’t only be deterrence but also allow proper prosecution and punishment.”
Published in The Express Tribune, November 4th, 2011.
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