IPL fixing probe: Family says Asad Rauf will fight to clear name

Pakistani umpire’s brother says he will face everyone to prove allegations are wrong.

KARACHI:

Troubled Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf will fight to clear his name in the ongoing spot-fixing scandal in the Indian Premier League, family sources said on Saturday, saying he had returned to his home in Lahore.

Rauf’s family said he returned to his home in Lahore a few days ago. “Rauf has nothing to hide, he reached Lahore after completing his matches in the league (in India),” a family source told AFP without elaborating. The source added the umpire will fight to clear his name.

“Rauf is disappointed that he was not given a chance to clear his name and was excluded from the Champions Trophy but once his name is cleared he will resume his career in the game he loves,” said the source.

“Rauf is bound by the ICC code so at an appropriate time he will speak.”

In Lahore, Rauf’s brother Adnan dismissed the allegations and said the umpire would prevail.“I have not met up with him yet, but nobody has levelled any allegations against him. Even the Mumbai police has not called him for interrogation, so he will face everyone,” Adnan told reporters.

“I will myself tell him to face the media, face everyone.”

The International Cricket Council (ICC) this week withdrew the umpire from next month’s Champions Trophy in the wake of media reports that he was under police investigation in connection to the IPL scandal.

Pakistan Cricket Board has distanced itself from Rauf’s case, saying the event was held in India and Rauf was officiating as an ICC umpire.

But PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf confirmed action would be taken against the umpire if the ICC asks for any such step.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 26^th, 2013.