ICC lauds PCB’s efforts to combat cricket corruption
In a welcoming development for Pakistan cricket, ICC has praised PCB’s measures to prevent and tackle corruption in the country’s domestic set-up. It is also a much needed boost to the ailing Pakistan cricket that is surrounded by controversies for quite
some time now. The International Cricket Council has given a nod to the measures recently taken by the governing body of cricket in Pakistan in order to improve the administration of the game and save it from the menace of corruption.
Nevertheless, ICC has also warned against any complacency and urged all its member boards to take concrete measure to clean up the game in the aftermath of the recent spot-fixing controversy. Talking to the reporters, ICC's CEO http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Haroon-Lorgat-c61719 said, “We are
encouraged by the excellent progress reported and also the willingness of the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 Cricket Board to embrace the ICC recommendations. However, we can never be complacent nor distracted in our determination to tackle corruption.”
He expressed these views after meeting the other members of newly formed Pakistan Task Force which consists of, apart from Lorgat, ECB’s chairman Giles http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Richardson-c85395, Chief
match referee Ranjan Madugalle and former captains, Mike Brearley and Ramiz Raja.
Pakistan Cricket Board was forced to adopt these measures after it was warned in a meeting in UAE earlier this month to implement the recommended course of action or else face dire consequence in the form of sanctions. PCB was given a 30-day ultimatum to
conduct a comprehensive survey related to its players and report back the findings to the task force.
The board, as recommended by the ICC, has introduced a revised code of conduct which was duly signed by all players ahead of Pakistan’s tour of UAE as it was mandatory for their participation in the event. PCB also formed an Integrity Committee consisting
of PCB’s chairman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ijaz-Butt-c64128, Chief Operating Officer Wasim Bari, Team Manager Intikhab Alam and Director of International Cricket Zakir Khan.
This committee has now been given the responsibility to steer Pakistan cricket forward from the spot-fixing controversy while also dealing with the ICC’s recommended course of action and tackling issues such as corruption and doping in domestic structure.
Giles Clarke, who is the ECB chairman and also member of Pakistan Task Force, has urged PCB to reform itself. He stated, “The task team urged everyone to support the PCB to reform its cricket and governance models and the important role Ijaz Butt has to
play in this regard. An independent board would help it to regain its glory and ensure long-term success.”
ICC has also emphasized on its members to review players’ contracts and introduce specific clauses which ensure players' compliance with anti-corruption rules and regulations. Regarding this matter, ICC's CEO maintained, “We have issued a broad advisory
to every ICC member about the need to root out corruption from our great sport. This advisory requests all international players and support personnel to sign a once-off declaration before participating in the next FTP match and/or ICC event.”
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s former Test captain, Salman Butt, who was accused of spot-fixing during Lords’ Test match, is still resolute to prove his innocence when his appeal against the provisional ban imposed on him is heard by the ICC. The appeal will be heard
on October 30th and 31st, 2010. Butt said, “We are innocent and have to fight our case on our own. The first and the foremost thing is to fight this case out and I am eager to do that. The onus is on them [the accusers] to prove. A player's career is of 10
to 15 years and if he is suspended it is cut short, so whatever doubts are there we have to remove them.”
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