ICC upset with banned Butt turning an expert
The International Cricket Council is not happy that a Pakistani television channel has employed banned Salman Butt as an expert for the coverage of the World Cup.
- Press Trust of India
- Updated: February 16, 2011 04:55 PM IST
The International Cricket Council is not happy that a Pakistani television channel has employed banned Salman Butt as an expert for the coverage of the World Cup.
The ICC said though the channel has no relationship with them, the decision to employ Butt was disappointing.
"We are not satisfied with this appointment and we have written to Tribunal chairman, Michael Beloff to enquire whether this could be viewed as a breach of the terms of his suspended sentence," ICC CEO, Haroon Lorgat said in a statement after the executive board meeting in Dubai.
Channel Five has employed Butt, who was handed a minimum five-year ban by the ICC anti-corruption tribunal on February 5 along with teammates, Mohammed Asif and Muhammad Aamer for being involved in spot-fixing on the tour to England last year.
But an official of the channel said the appointment of Butt had nothing to do with his suspension.
"He is a former Pakistan captain and expert and we are just taking his expert views on the tournament," he said.
Butt who is based in Lahore also hoped that the ICC and Pakistan Cricket Board would not make an issue out of his working for the channel.
"It is the only way for me to have some links with cricket. And as it is my sentence is suspended and I still have the right to appeal against the ban in the international court of arbitration for sports," Butt said.
The former captain said the terms of his suspension said he could not take part in any cricket activity or event which comes under preview of the ICC or any of its member boards.
Ehsan Mani the former President of the ICC backed the decision to ask Michael Beloff to review the situation.
"It is necessary because the ICC has to show it is not a weak body and it has the ability to enforce the decisions of its committees," Mani said.
He pointed out that ethically it was wrong for the channel to employ Butt for a major event like the World Cup. "He has been banned for corruption and what sort of message do you send out by having a penalised person give expert comments during the tournament."
The PCB has made it clear that while it is not happy with the decision of the channel to employ Butt but it can't intervene in the matter since the channel is neither a right holders or partner with either the ICC or PCB.