Cricket:An International Cricket Council (ICC) investigation has cleared Pakistan of any wrongdoing in the third One-Day International against England last month but the country's board have been issued with a stern warning over their future handling of the game.
The ICC board met this week for the first time since damaging spot-fixing allegations against Pakistan surfaced and, while an investigation continues into suspended trio Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer, additional claims relating to the match at The Oval on September 17th were rejected as having “no compelling evidence to suspect individual players or support staff”.
Despite that, the over-riding tone of the ICC’s message to administrators in Pakistan was clear: address your problems quickly or face the consequences.
The ICC Board agreed on eight new measures designed to “protect the integrity of the game and restore confidence”, each of which were approved by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Included in these measures were resolutions that the PCB “act and be seen to be acting to uphold the zero tolerance attitude to corruption in sport”, encourage their players to work thoroughly with the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit and implement robust education and disciplinary models in line with the ICC’s own code.
In addition there is a strongly worded reminder, which may be taken as a response to PCB chairman Ijaz Butt’s seemingly groundless allegations of corruption in the England team, not to “undermine the integrity, reputation and image of the game and/or any ongoing disciplinary or criminal proceedings”.
Finally, the ICC have warned in ominous terms about the consequences of failing to adhere to these newly agreed guidelines.
The statement goes on the conclude: “If the PCB fails to carry out the above to the satisfaction of the board within the next 30 days, the board will consider what further action (including, if appropriate, sanctions) is required in the circumstances.”
Key to the overseeing of the PCB’s efforts towards compliance will be the ICC’s Pakistan Task Team a body initially conceived to help the national side deal with its current inability to host home series due to terror threats, but now given an expanded brief.
Meanwhile, an independent hearing into the cases against Butt, Asif and Aamer who remain suspended from cricket by the governing body following spot-fixing allegations raised during this summer’s Test tour of England has been fixed for October 30th-31st.
The hearing will take place in Doha and is to be chaired by Michael Beloff QC, head of the ICC’s Code of Conduct Commission.
Assessing the key challenges raised by the board meeting, ICC president Sharad Pawar concluded: “We will not tolerate any form of corruption in cricket and we will work tirelessly to root out those who have acted in a way which brings cricket into disrepute.
“The future of our great sport depends on the public maintaining their confidence in the games they are watching. We owe it to every player, administrator and every cricket lover to win this battle against a very small minority who may wish to corrupt this game.”