'Pakistan cricketers have a case to answer'

ICC anti-corruption chief Ronnie Flanagan says players suspended on various charges. Aamer reports to police station.


Reuters/afp September 03, 2010

LONDON: Cricket's governing body vowed on Friday to do whatever necessary to root out cheats and preserve the integrity of the game after suspending three Pakistan players over match-fixing claims.

‘We have come to the conclusion that they have a case to answer,’ said the body's anti-corruption chief Ronnie Flanagan speaking at a press conference on Friday.

The three, captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, had been suspended by the ICC on Friday on ‘various charges’.

The International Cricket Council has charged three Pakistan players with various offences under Article 2 of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code for Players and Player Support Personnel relating to alleged irregular behavior during, and in relation to, the fourth Test between England and Pakistan at Lord’s last month. Article 2 relates to offences under the code, including corruption, betting and misuse of inside information.

International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Haroon Lorgat said that the case was now the subject of a criminal investigation and spoke of his ‘extreme disappointment’.

‘We will do whatever we can to preserve the integrity of the game,’ he added.

‘There is absolutely no truth to the suggestion that there is a conspiracy towards Pakistan cricket,’ he said.

‘There is a lot of sympathy for Pakistan and its players.’

Mohammad Aamer reports to British Police

Meanwhile, Mohammad Aamer reported to a British police station, as the International Cricket Council, was explaining the provisional suspensions and corruption charges hanging over the trio in a press conference at Lord's.

He arrived at Kilburn Police Station, near Lord's cricket  ground in north London, where he is expected to be interviewed by detectives.

Police are also expected to question Pakistan's Test captain Salman Butt and Aamer's fellow bowler Mohammad Asif on Friday.

London's Metropolitan Police offered no comment when contacted by AFP.

So far, police have bailed without charge a 35-year-old man arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers as part of their probe into the alleged ‘spot-fixing’ scam surrounding the Pakistan team.

COMMENTS (7)

faisal shaji | 13 years ago | Reply @ Dr. Qaiser!!!!You are right. But it is also true that Pakistanis shouldn't have meet Majeeds in the first place. Intermingling with bad friends is a stepping stone towards a crime. It is not dignified to meet with bookies. Now you see a disaster is their in front of accused players because of mere meeting with bookies.
Dr Qaisar Rashid | 13 years ago | Reply "So far, police have bailed without charge a 35-year-old man arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers as part of their probe into the alleged ‘spot-fixing’ scam surrounding the Pakistan team." So the point for the British police is if the book makers are defrauded that is an offence committed by the agent (Majeed) and if they are not defrauded then an offence by committed by the trio. The question is why the bookies are legalized in the UK?
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