Banned Butt ready for anti-corruption rehab
Pakistan’s former captain Salman Butt said Wednesday he had offered
to take part in anti-corruption rehab a week after an international
court threw out his appeal against a spot-fixing ban.
The 28-year-old, along with team-mates Mohammad Asif and Mohammad
Aamer, was banned for contriving deliberate no-balls for cash during the
2010 Lord’s Test against England.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2011 banned Butt for 10
years, with five suspended on the condition that he commits no further
offences and takes part in a programme of anti-corruption education.
Asif received a seven year ban with two suspended while Aamer got
five years. The trio and their agent Mazhar Majeed were jailed by a
British court in November 2011. All three players were released last
year.
Butt appealed to the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sports for
a reduction in his five-year ban but his application was rejected.
Butt met Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials late Tuesday to
discuss his rehabilitation programme.
“I have offered my availability for the rehabilitation and whenever
the PCB wanted me to appear I will be ready,” Butt told AFP.
ICC chief executive David Richardson on Tuesday urged the banned
players to apologise in public, start rehabilitation and share any
information they have on fixing to help the game fight the biggest
menace it has faced for years.
Butt refused to comment on Richardson’s statement and his directives
to feature in ICC’s educational videos to help future generations to
avoid the pitfalls.
Aamer, who pleaded guilty in Britain, featured in an ICC educational
video last year and also attended lectures from psychologist Maqbool
Sabri.
Butt said last week he was hopeful about making a career comeback
after serving out the reminder of his ban.
AFP
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