DOHA: International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat said Sunday three Pakistan players – Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir – were banned on solid proof of corruption. “We are satisfied at the tribunal's decision, which was taken on solid evidence and we hope with this decision the image of the game will improve,” Lorgat told a press conference in Doha. Lorgat, who was accompanied by the head of the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU), Ronnie Flanagan, was speaking a day after Butt, Amir and Asif were handed lengthy bans for spot-fixing. Butt was banned for 10 years with five years suspended, Asif for 7 years with 2 years suspended and Amir five years. The charges relate to alleged incidents during the Test against England at Lord's last year, when Britain's News of the World newspaper claimed the players were willing to deliberately bowl no-balls. The newspaper alleged the three had colluded in a spot-fixing betting scam organised by British-based agent Mazhar Majeed. In a separate development Friday, British prosecutors charged the three players as well as Majeed with corruption offences and summoned them to appear in a London court on March 17. The trio have repeatedly denied wrongdoing. Lorgat rejected the suggestion that the punishments were lenient. “I don't believe the sentences are lenient by any stretch of the imagination,” said Lorgat. “I think they are balanced with an expert and experienced jury dealing with the case.” The three-man tribunal was headed by Michael Beloff QC and also contained Albie Sachs of South Africa and Sharad Rao of Kenya. “In legal terms you have to be proportionate when you are giving punishment and we must distinguish between match-fixing and spot-fixing, and the jury was independent and they decided on proportionate punishments,” said Lorgat. Lorgat said the verdict will send a clear message to the cricket world. “While I am deeply saddened that this case happened in the first place, I acknowledge and commend the decision to deliver lengthy bans to all three players. “Corruption in our game will never be tolerated and, once again, I reiterate our zero-tolerance approach. I hope this investigation, and the verdicts delivered, makes that message crystal-clear.” Butt and Amir have expressed disappointment at the bans, with Butt hoping to get the ban reduced once the ICC code of conduct – which carries a mimimum five-year punishment – is amended. Lorgat said the case tarnished the reputation of the game. He said both the players and the ICC have the right to appeal. Flanagan, who took over from Lord Paul Condon last year, also showed satisfaction over the proceedings. “Over the past few months, the ACSU and the ICC's legal team have worked extremely hard on this case, including in its investigations prior to the time that the News Of The World's story broke. Meanwhile, Butt and Amir returned to Pakistan Sunday and pledged to clear their names of corruption charges. Only Amir, whose lawyer said he would appeal, has a realistic chance of playing international cricket again. Butt and Amir encountered no hostile reception when they exited the airport and both maintained their innocence. “I am innocent of the charges made against me and I stand by what I say. I will not rest until I get the ban overturned,” Butt told reporters at the airport. “I don't think our arguments were heard properly and the ban is unjustified.” Amir expressed similar concerns with the hearing. “I am innocent and I was confident they would clear me. The ban came as a total shock,” he said. Shaharyar Khan, former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, said the bans were too light, calling the suspensions a “concessional decision” from the ICC. “I thought at least two (Asif and Butt) might get life bans and the third one (Amir) would get a lesser punishment.” – Agence France
