Salman Butt vows to clear name of spot-fixing charges – Cricket News Update
Former Pakistan captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 on Friday after being released early, and vowed to clear his name of the charges that had brought his career to an abrupt halt.
Butt, then skipper of the national team, was implicated in a spot-fixing scandal last year, when a sting operation by the
News of the World revealed that he had orchestrated a plot, with sports agent http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 at
Lord’s in August 2010.
Butt was tried at the Southwark Crown Court in London during October last year, and sentenced to 30 months in prison, in addition to having been issued a 10 year ban from cricket (with five months suspended) by an ICC tribunal in February 2011. However,
under the UK government’s early release scheme for foreign nationals, the left-hander was released after serving just 7 months of his sentence.
“I am happy and relieved,” he said, upon returning to Pakistan. The 27-year-old arrived at the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore at 2:30 on Friday morning, and spoke to reporters after exiting the airport lobby.
Butt said that he wanted to spend up to two to three days with his family after which he intended to “hold a detailed press conference to answer all questions to clear my name from spot-fixing.”
“I am thankful to all those who helped me in my difficult times and I hope that my tough days are over,” he said, adding that he was desperate to see his second son, who was born on the same day he was sentenced last year, on November 3, 2011.
He also maintained his innocence, claiming he had nothing to do with the scandal, and expressed the intent to use his right to appeal in the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland against the ban issued by the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625.
“I have no links with spot-fixing and my only mistake was that I did not make a complaint against those who made offers,” he said. “I am consulting my legal advisers and will decide on when to appeal against the ICC ban.”
“I want to come back as a good person and cricketer,” he added.
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