ICC urges Asif, Butt to apologise

World cricket body wants disgraced pair to help fight corruption.

KARACHI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has urged former captain Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif to accept their guilt publicly and apologise for their actions.

The ICC’s announcement came after it received a written decision from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that turned down the pair’s appeal against the ICC bans.

“We are pleased to note that the CAS panel rejected each and every one of the allegations that were made of prosecutorial misconduct by the ICC,” said ICC Chief Executive David Richardson.

“In addition to the CAS finding Asif a party to the conspiracy to act corruptly, it is also pleasing to note from the decisions that Butt acknowledged his part in the fix before the CAS panel.”

According to Richardson, the guilt of the cricketers in the 2010 spot-fixing case has been proven for the third time.

“The guilt of these men has now been established on three separate occasions, in three separate sets of proceedings, and in three separate forums — first, before the independent Anti-Corruption Tribunal, then in the English criminal courts, and now, finally, before the ultimate appeal body in sport, the CAS.”



“The time has now come for them to stop misleading the members of the public, especially the supporters of the Pakistan cricket team, and to publicly accept their parts in this corrupt conspiracy.”

ICC asks duo to share information 

Meanwhile, the top ICC official also asked both the cricketers to help its Anti Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) to fight against corruption.

“I am certain that both Butt and Asif have information that can be of great assistance to the ACSU and its ongoing fight against corruption in cricket.

“I would, therefore, urge them, without any further delay, to start the process of rebuilding their lives and reputations by apologising for their actions and meeting with ICC’s anti-corruption officials to come clean about what actually happened.

“The CAS decision also justifies all of ICC’s ongoing anti-corruption efforts.”

He said corruption was the biggest threat for the game.

“The single biggest threat to the viability and strength of the sport of cricket, both at international and domestic level, is that posed by those few unscrupulous individuals who, for unlawful financial reward, choose to engage in corrupt practices.

“However, the ICC and its member boards will continue to remain vigilant in our attempts to prevent corruption in the sport that we are charged with developing and protecting around the world.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 24^th, 2013.