http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 Cricket Update: ICC Vows to Clamp down on Corrupt Cricketers
The International Cricket Council has vowed to rid the game of corruption a day after suspending the Pakistani trio of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer on allegations of match and spot fixing. The news shook the world of cricket during the fourth and final test against England that finished at Lords, London last week.
The governing body of the game addressed a press conference at the home of cricket Lords, where the Chief Executive of the body http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Haroon-Lorgat-c61719 and the head of the Anti Corruption Unit Ronnie Flanagan addressed the large media contingent.
In his opening statement, Mr. Lorgat told the media that his body is keen to do whatever is necessary to root out cheats and preserve the integrity of the game after suspending the beleaguered Pakistani trio a few hours after he met the High Commissioner of Pakistan, Wajid Shamsi who is based in London.
"We have been clear that we will not tolerate any sort of corruption in the sport," claimed Lorgat, "Upholding the integrity of cricket is paramount, is fundamental to every single one of us and we will do whatever is necessary to maintain the dignity in the sport. We promise to be decisive,”
The Pakistani trio has been charged under ICC's anti-corruption code and as a result has been provisionally suspended from all forms of cricket and related activities until the case is concluded.
The players also had their mobile phones confiscated as part the investigation by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Scotland-c756 Yard, following damning reports emerged in a British tabloid “The News of the World” that they took bribes for spot fixing the final test of the series against England that the hosts won 3-1.
The allegations that appeared in the tabloid accused that Amir and Asif had bowled deliberate no-balls after having been paid by bookie http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mazhar-c75448 Majeed, who was known as the agent of the players.
On the other hand, the chief of ICC’s Anti Corruption and Security Unit Ronnie Flanagan did not give any details of the charges against the players.
"There are various charges and they all relate to the recent test at Lord's but you will appreciate that we have our legal advisors and we have to be absolutely fair to the players. They know exactly what the charges are; their legal representatives know exactly what the charges are, but quite frankly it would not be right for us to be putting the specific detail of those charges in the public domain."
The chief added that the charges have been levied under article two of the ICC anti-corruption code.
The code deals with bribery and betting offences where the players deliberately underperform to affect the result of an international match.
Meanwhile, the plot of the controversy thickened when Pakistan high commissioner Wajid Shamsul http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hasan-c61990 laid into the decision by the governing body of the game to suspend the players after they had voluntarily withdrawn from the team that is set to play One-Day-International and T20 series yesterday
"Suspended? They voluntarily withdrew themselves from the matches to play in,” asserted Wajid; the diplomat added that "That is what the statement I heard yesterday said. And the suspension is an afterthought of the ICC. That the ICC Chief Executive met me yesterday evening and he said yes, they are going to serve a notice to them but not suspend them because they are already withdrawn. You know it's just like you resigning in the morning and your boss sending you a notice of suspension in the evening."
At the f*g end of the presser, Lorgat claimed that his body was keen on supporting the Pakistani cricket team that has a plethora of problems to deal with, besides the raging fixing scandal.
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