Spot-fixing: If guilty, punish trio like Armstrong was penalised, says Anil Kumble

Former India captain Anil Kumble feels that if the players charged with spot-fixing are found guilty, they should be dealt with in a manner similar to Lance Armstrong - the champion cyclist who was banned for life after admitting to doping.

According to a report in the Times of India, Kumble told the Board of Control for Cricket in India's Working Committee on Sunday that it should be extremely strict against spot-fixing. "He told the BCCI hierarchy that there should zero-tolerance when it comes to spot-fixing. According to Kumble, if other sports bodies can go to the extent of wiping out records of legends if they are proven guilty, why not BCCI?" a source was quoted as saying.

The three players - S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan - were arrested last Thursday for allegedly spot-fixing during three separate Indian Premier League matches. All three players belong to the Rajasthan Royals and the franchise has filed a complaint on its part. (Also read: In Sreesanth's hometown, betrayed fans say 'punish him.')

While the BCCI has promised that there won't be any cover-up, it also has added details of the investigation are awaited. (Related read: Handicapped because can't control bookies, says BCCI)

Although the charges are of a completely different kind, the sporting community felt a similar sense of betrayal last year when American cyclist Armstrong admitted to doping and was stripped of all his trophies, earned post 1996. This after the sportsperson - a cancer survivor - had repeatedly denied charges made against him by the Unites States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), only to eventually come clean on a TV show.