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31st October 2006, 06:44 PM
[tscii:a0ae2f7a07]http://www.hindu.com/2006/10/31/stories/2006103105091900.htm
Herschelle Gibbs's submission to the Delhi police about his involvement in the match-fixing scandal has triggered a debate. For six years, Gibbs — fearing arrest — did everything possible to avoid the Delhi police. But the way he has been treated, after admitting to taking money, must have angered Azharuddin, against whom no charges have been proved.
The legal fraternity in India is perplexed that Gibbs, instead of being interrogated further, has been allowed to play in the Champions Trophy. All those found to have been involved in match-fixing were either fined, or the respective boards did not take cognisance of the complaints against them. In India, however, the BCCI banned Azharuddin for life and Jadeja for five years.
Without going into the merits and demerits of the cases filed against Azharuddin, Jadeja and a few other players, if the foreign players are not put out of the game either by the International Cricket Council or their boards despite admitting to fixing matches, why should the BCCI continue to harass the banned Indian players?
Ironically, the BCCI officials are now admitting that it was a blunder to have banned Azharuddin for life, and the President of the Punjab Cricket Association, I.S. Bindra, is even planning to ask the BCCI to review it. In fact, the invitation sent to Azharuddin by the BCCI for the function in which the former India captains will be felicitated indicates a change of heart.
Double standards
The ICC, however, continues with its double standards. Though its CEO Malcolm Speed was quick to react to the possible lifting of the ban on Azharuddin, he evaded the Gibbs issue. How could the ICC let Gibbs play in the Champions Trophy after he has admitted to accepting money for underperforming? If there is a process for lifting Azharuddin's ban, surely there has to be one for acting against a player who has admitted to his involvement in the match-fixing scandal.
The way the ICC is acting, there seems to be a clear bias against the sub-continent countries. The ICC's legal process is so flawed that its bias is obvious, especially when a player admits of his involvement in match-fixing and takes a flight thereafter to take part in the Champions Trophy, an ICC tournament.
Wrong decision
In the sub-continent, passion and emotion take precedence over logic. The ban on Azharuddin is a clear example. After six years, even people party to the decision accept that it was wrong. And now that it has been demonstrated so blatantly that the guilty are being allowed to play, there has to be a rethink on Azharuddin's ban.
The ICC needs to put its house in order. For an institution that is expected to run the game in only a fewer countries when compared to football, there seem to be controversies every week. The worst part, though, is that enquiry committee meetings are held, and their findings are not even convincing, let alone irrefutable.
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Herschelle Gibbs's submission to the Delhi police about his involvement in the match-fixing scandal has triggered a debate. For six years, Gibbs — fearing arrest — did everything possible to avoid the Delhi police. But the way he has been treated, after admitting to taking money, must have angered Azharuddin, against whom no charges have been proved.
The legal fraternity in India is perplexed that Gibbs, instead of being interrogated further, has been allowed to play in the Champions Trophy. All those found to have been involved in match-fixing were either fined, or the respective boards did not take cognisance of the complaints against them. In India, however, the BCCI banned Azharuddin for life and Jadeja for five years.
Without going into the merits and demerits of the cases filed against Azharuddin, Jadeja and a few other players, if the foreign players are not put out of the game either by the International Cricket Council or their boards despite admitting to fixing matches, why should the BCCI continue to harass the banned Indian players?
Ironically, the BCCI officials are now admitting that it was a blunder to have banned Azharuddin for life, and the President of the Punjab Cricket Association, I.S. Bindra, is even planning to ask the BCCI to review it. In fact, the invitation sent to Azharuddin by the BCCI for the function in which the former India captains will be felicitated indicates a change of heart.
Double standards
The ICC, however, continues with its double standards. Though its CEO Malcolm Speed was quick to react to the possible lifting of the ban on Azharuddin, he evaded the Gibbs issue. How could the ICC let Gibbs play in the Champions Trophy after he has admitted to accepting money for underperforming? If there is a process for lifting Azharuddin's ban, surely there has to be one for acting against a player who has admitted to his involvement in the match-fixing scandal.
The way the ICC is acting, there seems to be a clear bias against the sub-continent countries. The ICC's legal process is so flawed that its bias is obvious, especially when a player admits of his involvement in match-fixing and takes a flight thereafter to take part in the Champions Trophy, an ICC tournament.
Wrong decision
In the sub-continent, passion and emotion take precedence over logic. The ban on Azharuddin is a clear example. After six years, even people party to the decision accept that it was wrong. And now that it has been demonstrated so blatantly that the guilty are being allowed to play, there has to be a rethink on Azharuddin's ban.
The ICC needs to put its house in order. For an institution that is expected to run the game in only a fewer countries when compared to football, there seem to be controversies every week. The worst part, though, is that enquiry committee meetings are held, and their findings are not even convincing, let alone irrefutable.
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