The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reiterated its plans of using banned fast-bowler Mohammad Amir in fighting corruption and warning the country’s cricketers about the effects of indulging in spot-fixing or match-fixing, according to the board’s chief Zaka Ashraf.
Amir called on the chairman after being informed of the PCB’s plans during the remaining period of his five-year ban by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Amir returned home three months after being jailed, having served half his sentence. According to some reports, Amir’s ban handed by the ICC could also be halved and he could be free to play cricket as early as next year.
The PCB has formulised a plan to keep the fast-bowler on track during the period.
“Along with Amir, three other cricketers will also be part of the rehabilitation process,” Ashraf told The Express Tribune. “We are searching for a good psychologist and all four will undergo treatment together.”
Zaka, however, refused to name the other three being considered to be part of the project.“Amir will then be used in a programme to lecture other players until his ICC ban ends.”
Meanwhile, although the PCB chairman had earlier said that Amir’s rehabilitation was purely the PCB’s domain, a report has suggested that the board had written to the ICC on the plans, with the board inquiring about the possibility of starting rehabilitation and counselling work on Amir almost a month ago.
The PCB is yet to receive the governing body’s response.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 21st, 2012.
COMMENTS (28)
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This is a good move on the part of the PCB and on the part of Amir. He can help to educate young players about the dangers of falling into the hands of match-fixers. Those people who are moaning and groaning should remember that this is a form of community service that he is doing, which is often assigned to young law-breakers in western countries to help them atone for their mistakes and to help them rehabilitate themselves. Any humane country will try to focus on the rehabilitation of law-breakers, especially the youth and first-time offenders rather than simply discard them or ostracise them like so much refuse.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/top-stories/It-would-be-great-if-Aamer-can-come-back-Dravid/articleshow/12352995.cms Pls read reader's comments on the page
After serving punishment he should be back. All of us make mistakes in life and some convicted of crime and sentenced but after that they should be treated as normal.
I think aamir had handed all the corrupted money to pcb
As soon as this young boy start scoring wickets, haterz will have no choice but to praise. So what if he indulged in corruption, everyone second guy in Pakistan who get this chance would do the same. He went to jail and got a tough lesson in life. He is now clean. His haters should live in the real world and take it because they have no say in PCB's decision.
The other two fraudiays are of no use to the great nation of Pakistan, so they are trashed by the board. How could PCB support corrupt sportsmen who are a failure too :)
@shak: Your kind of mentality is the cause for all the mess we are in. First you tolerate crime, then support it and finally justify it.. all with some selfish motive. grow up and see how you can change these.. as long as we have the mentality of justifying wrong things.. the mess will be deeper and when others around us are marching ahead.. we are marching backwards But that is not irriversible.. we are on the march backwards..unfortunately more than half of our society has this mentality
I hope his ban is upheld.
@shak You can not justify one wrong thing with another wrong.giving bad examples(Shane and Clinton) and then trying to prove your point.why don't you remember that in our religion Islam what is the punishment of a theaft even the prophet PBUH said that he will chop off the hands even it was her daughter.by the way in Islam 18 years old does not mean that you are an adult.I am sure selling your country(mother) is a bigger crime than a theaft.
@Noon Ghunna: superb funny comment
@shak Totally agree with you. I am not from a poor background such as he was but I couldn't have resisted what he did. You have to consider the whole situation 17 year old+from poor household+sudden fame and rise+trust on a person to the extent of considering him brother and he deceives you. Well, its much much more difficult to even imagine to be in that situation. As he said that he didn't do this for money, he should be given a chance.
i am sick of umer gul
@waqar,
I usually do not respond to others comments but i have to respond
"Sorry my friend why we have got double standards.same crime for asif and butt but different treatment just because they are of no use at the moment."
Everywhere in the world the juveniles are not treated the same as adult when they commit a crime. Yes he is an adult now but he was sucked into it while he was 17. I don't know how many poor and uneducated 17 year old you know, but i know many of them and they would fall prey to this 9 out of 10 times. He couldn't call his father or brother and ask for advice on this complicated matter
"anywhere in the world one gets a sack if they do a fraud in that institution and never gets the same job back.especially in this case he has got a criminal conviction."
Shane warne was caught cheating and nothing happened to him. Also, everywhere in the west you can easily make a come back after serving your punishment. Look at Michael Vick, Bill Clinton (well he never got convicted)
"I think whole of our society has same short sited standards of thinking that is why Pakistan is in such a mess today where criminals get away from their crime because of their position law is only for poor."
From which angle is Amir part of the "rich" and pretty much every other person in pakistan has given or taken a bribe......thats all he did......so you want to make an example out of him because he got caught.
@Mujtaba:
Second chance to him will prove to the whole world that we are corruption loving people. He has fixed, made money, sold the country. Where is the question of any chance ?
i think its gud dat dey are giving a chance 2 amir!!people mite disagree but i wana just tel dem dat who are v to argue or decide??v pin point others as if v are v pious but the fact is that v al r corrupt.v dont ve guts to stop corruption at govt level and vr just after amir and others because they are helples.please change ur thinking people. LIVE AND LET OTHERS LIVE
@antnu.g Sorry my friend why we have got double standards.same crime for asif and butt but different treatment just because they are of no use at the moment.anywhere in the world one gets a sack if they do a fraud in that institution and never gets the same job back.especially in this case he has got a criminal conviction.I think whole of our society has same short sited standards of thinking that is why Pakistan is in such a mess today where criminals get away from their crime because of their position law is only for poor.
He does nt deserve a second chance. He was grown up and intelligent enough to play international cricket AND do spot-fixing. He took his chances and failed. Great players can be terrible humans. We have enough talent in Pakistan. Dont let him come back pls. If he is sincere, he can use the huge sums of money he has in his account for the rest of his life and do some good for his country to help repay some of the insult he incurred on the nation. Arrogant enough to be able to face cameras, is'nt he?
It would be very good decision by the PCB to rehabilitate Amir and rest of the players
This is really a positive move and on right track, good work PCB.
@waqar: can you awear you did not do anything immoral ever? aamir has made a mistake and suitably punished. now what more is required.....stop him from earning his bread?
Great work by PCB and Good luck to Amir!
Please add President & PM in the rehabilitation plan.
Is Amir joining PCB for fighting corruption or starting one at PCB?
i feel the other three are Kamran Akmal, Umar Akmal and Adnan Akmal
This is good work ...PCB!
The other three are Kamran Akmal, Danish Kaneria and Rana Naveed.. :P