File photo of Mohammad Asif. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
The 30-year-old is the last of three players to come out with a confession, after team-mates Salman Butt and Mohammad Amir admitted their part and presented themselves for rehabilitation.
Asif, pace partner Amir and then-captain Butt were banned for contriving deliberate no-balls in return for money during the Lord's Test against England in 2010.
A year later an anti-corruption tribunal of the International Cricket Council (ICC) banned Butt for 10 years, with five suspended, Asif for seven years with two suspended and Amir for five years.
The tribunal had made confession, apology and rehabilitation mandatory to avoid the suspended portion of the ban.
"I accept the punishment from the ICC tribunal in 2011," Asif said at a news conference.
"I apologise for my actions that have brought disrespect to my beloved country, to the millions of fans in Pakistan and in the world."
The trio and their agent Mazhar Majeed were also jailed by an English court over the affair in 2011. The players were released last year.
Touted as the best new-ball bowler in the world by legendary Pakistani paceman Imran Khan, Asif's career was first derailed in 2006 when he and fellow paceman Shoaib Akhtar tested positive for banned steroids.
They were let off by a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) tribunal but another failed dope test in the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008 resulted in a one-year ban for Asif.
He was also detained at Dubai airport on return from the 2008 IPL after a banned drug was found in his possession.
Asif said he felt sorry for his repeated mistakes.
"When I look back at the events of my career, I feel very sorry," he said.
Asif warned future players to avoid the pitfalls of fixing.
"I request to all the players who want to represent their countries that they must keep away from all sorts of corruption," he said.
"I am ready to help any player who wants to avoid such pitfalls. I will duly cooperate with the ICC, its anti-corruption unit and with the PCB in fighting the corruption in the game."
Asif said he was ready to go through the PCB rehabilitation programme.
"I have suffered a lot because of my wrongdoings. Now on the Independence Day of my country, I promise that once my ban finishes I will try to repair the damage I have done."
Before the ban, Asif had taken 106 wickets in 23 Tests and was widely regarded as one of the most skillful new ball bowlers in the game.
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he's confessed he deserves a another chance. he's accepted his mistakes. all of us make mistakes and the fact is we learn from them. he's made many mistakes and PCB should help him not make them again.
"The tribunal had made confession, apology and rehabilitation mandatory to avoid the suspended portion of the ban."
And hence the apology! On top of that the three disgraced lads still expect a comeback after serving their ban.
They MUSTN'T be selected in national team. Their selection would mean death of an already dying cricket in Pakistan.
Absolute fool, would have gone on and become a legendary bowler
The time for confession is long gone. A brilliant bowler you were, a promising career you had been promised.. but you tore it down yourself. Please remain in hiding for the rest of your life unless you decide to help youngsters via your example, from the core of your heart.
This lying disgrace of professional cricketer should be banned from even entering a cricket field or stadium. The shame he has brought on this nation should never be forgotten......
Ban him for lieing to the whole nation for 3 years nonstop and when all the escape door seemed to have been closed for him, he decided to apologize NOW!
Under NATIONAL RECONCILIATION ORDINANCE (NRO), Zardari and others corruption charges were dropped, who knows in Pakistan any thing is possible. These guys may get some kind of NRO....
He shouldnot be allowed to play for Pakistan again.
@kanwal:
:)
After reading this news, I, am wondering about the segment of society who were from the day 1 claiming Foreign conspiricy against Pak players?
I also request PCB that they should not be given 2 nd chance
@asif butt Err, by analogy, Mr Bush should be appointed head of the anti war groups in the world? And of course Mr Zardari must lead the nation in finding smaller looters than him. The list goes on and on.
Accepting the fault when nothing left to accept.
all three of them should be banned for life , including aamir , by shunning the responsibilty saying i was a kid is just nonsence
@ Imtiaz. To make mistakes is natural as we are human beings.If he has confessed his wrongdoings then let the ICC and PCB decide his fate.Learn to forgive please
no thanks, we dont want criminals representing the country....stay at home, or do real charity work with all that ill-gotten money you made, maybe that would be a good start, instead of humiliating the country again
Whatever happened to the conspiracy theories??
Asif! Please sit at home and read some books to improve yourself in society. take admission in the British Council or the PACC and improve your English. It's time to look ahead and no more cricket ith the PCB. Pakistan cannot afford any more embarrassments. Join a club as a coach or start some business. Salams
Butt & Asif are apologizing after trying everything to prove the claim against them was wrong. PCB should ban them for life and keep them away from any form of cricket. Set an example so that nobody else ever dares to cheat again.
I think now it is turn of those sections of Pakistani media who defended these guys and claimed it a conspiracy by BCCI and ECB.
Nothing new, he is following tradition set up by GOP e.g. 1965, 1971, Kargil etc.
Yes, "3 years after exhausting every appeal in the book and lying through my teeth, I confess to my mistakes" Bravo! Atleast Amir had the decency and courage to accept his mistake from the very beginning. Butt and Asif are hypocrites and would not stop themselves from repeating this crap if given the chance. I can not sympathise with both of these individuals.
Those who supported these spot fixers and declared it a conspiracy against Pakistan should also apologize.
Typical Pakistaniat. Commit a sin Deny till the dog falls dead Blame the "Hidden (foreign) hand", RAW/CIA/MOSSAD combine Come back, admit, apologize and try to benefit by admission, now that the whole world does not believe you. What a joke. Your captain did it. Now you have done it. Looks like it is a national past time.
All players who've been involved in fixing scandals INCLUDING AMIR should not be allowed to play for Pakistan anymore. An example should be set in this country.
Now that you have accepted the crime so its better NOT to hope for anymore cricket and go and start some other business with positive thinking.
He should apply for Benazir income support instead.
@Imtiaz: This is not how social systems function.
It is important to analyze the criminal mind and trace its origins.
Then it is necessary to keep monitoring the learnt pattern among future youngsters, so that they dont fall into the greed traps.
People like Asif can be the head of such anti-criminal organizations.
Many government organizations have been famously known to recruit previous criminals into law and order agencies. Similarly many hackers are hired as computer network security specialists.
No human/person is useless. And it is our responsibility to make way for people who seek atonement.
Asif, Now you are aplogizing after sinking the nation. Now after confession, the government should send to you to jail atleast for 10 years and ICC should banned to you for life. Anyway you are no longer needed to the country and we advise you to stay at home and relax.