Salman Butt Harbours Hopes To Return To Cricket
Salman Butt, who was handed a 10-year ban by the International Cricket Council for involvement in spot-fixing, is disappointed by the verdict and says he will appeal for clemency.
An ICC anti-corruption tribunal had handed down sentences to Salman Butt and co-accused, Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif, in Doha on Saturday.
Butt was given the most severe sentence of 10 years with five years of suspended sentence. Asif was banned for seven years with a two-year suspended sentence. Aamer has been suspended from international cricket for five years, despite
speculations in the recent months that the player might be treated leniently because of his age (18) and his previously clean record.
Talking to reporters, Butt said, “I don't agree with a 10-year ban and once the rules in the code of conduct are amended, which the head of the tribunal has also requested to be done, I hope the punishment can be reduced.” Butt hopes
that the ICC implements the amendments recommended by the tribunal soon. He hopes that the new codes would facilitate players and hand them less severe sentences.
Butt’s lawyer said the tribunal could have given him a shorter sentence as the current verdict could mean the end of Butt’s cricketing career.
Butt was suspected of being approached by an illegal bookmaker, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mazhar-c75448 Majeed, who offered him bribe for not scoring in a particular over during the Oval Test. He did not disclose the bookie’s offer to the authorities, which is an
offence. Though the ICC has acquitted him of that charge, it sentenced him for his role in spot-fixing during another Test against England at Lords in August last year. The bookmaker, Majeed, had offered Asif and Aamer bribes to overstep their mark on specified
deliveries during the match. Butt was sentenced for his role as an arbitrator.
Both Butt and Asif can have their sentences reduced to only five years while the remainder of their sentences will be suspended if they attend an anti-corruption under the supervision of the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 Cricket Board and have no more
disciplinary issues.
Butt’s lawyer has said that his appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sports may prove futile as the court does not seem inclined to entertain him anymore.
Will Butt succeed in his quest for clemency? We will keep you posted on what happens in this case, which has become one of the most notorious cases in cricket history.
Tags: