Spot-fixing scandal, Cricketer’s opinion
Former Indian skipper, Rahul Dravid has called ICC’s move of suspending three Pakistani cricketers a positive step towards a clean cricket set up. But the veteran cricketer at the same time wants the inquiry against the trio to be taken to its logical conclusion. The Indian batsman feels the spot-fixing controversy is the biggest chance for the game to clean itself.
ICC used its suspension clause for the first time in its history when it suspended the alleged trio of Pakistan skipper, Salman Butt, teenager Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, on Thursday. The cricketers were suspended by the International Cricket Council for their “irregular behaviour” during Lord’s Test against England under the Article 2 of the ICC Anti Corruption Code.
Dravid has asked for a “thorough and comprehensive” inquiry into the spot-fixing scandal. He said that no guilt should be attached to any of the alleged player until and unless the investigations of Scotland Yard and the Anti Corruption and Security Unit of ICC are complete. He said that everyone deserves a fair chance to defend themselves so the alleged trio should be given ample chances to prove their innocence.
"The last thing we need is for the events of this week to be swept under the carpet. No guilt must be attached until the investigations are complete, and everyone deserves a fair chance to defend themselves. But the process must be thorough and comprehensive," said the veteran Indian cricketer.
Dravid wants the investigators to complete their investigations before the matter moves on. He has asked the investigation agencies, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Scotland-c756 Yard and Anti Corruption and Security Unit, to carry out proper inquiry with the law of the country (England) behind them. Dravid has termed the recent spot-fixing episode as a horrible scar on the game, players and the sport’s fans and has demanded “swift and strong punishment to anyone found guilty”.
Dravid wants ICC to use the incident to send out a right message about the consequences of indulging in the businesses of illegal betting and fraud. Dravid emphasized that the anti-corruption code of ICC should not be merely about laying down rules but it should also ensure that if anyone breaches these rules, they would have to pay the penalties and face the consequences.
With other international players using the spot-fixing scandal as a platform to prove their loyalty to the game by narrating various “approach stories” and then their denial to the bookies, Indians are beating their own trumpet. “No! We have never been approached by the bookies”, India’s former skipper Sourav Ganguly said on Thursday, of his tenure as Indian captain. Ganguly not only kept himself away from any such stories but also cleared the position of his various other teammates as well.
"Three former http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Anil-Kumble-c44737, too were never approached and such a situation was beyond their imagination", said Ganguly.
Talking about the other names who have confirmed bookie approaches, Ganguly said the bookmakers might judge the players by their characters before approaching them. He further added that he can never even think of any such incident.
"May be they (the bookies) judge players by their characters before making the move. I can never in my life believe that this may happen. The captain and his boys have a role to play, they must act responsibly", Ganguly said.
While almost all the cricketers are demanding heavy punishments to be handed to the alleged trio including life bans as well, former captain of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755, Imran Khan has said that spot-fixing is a little bit lower level crime as compared to match-fixing so the punishment should also be comparatively less severe. The cricketer turned politician said that ICC should heavily punish the suspected players if found guilty but life bans should not be an option.
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