Amir released from prison

sammsky1 · 2nd February 2012, 06:45

Quote:

Spot-fixer Mohammad Amir released after three months of sentence

• Amir served half of six-month sentence
• Pakistan bowler one of four individuals convicted

The Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Amir has been released from a young offenders institution after serving half of a six-month sentence for his part in a fixing scam.

Amir, 19, who had been tipped to become a leading fast bowler, was freed from Portland Prison in Dorset on Wednesday morning, sources said.

He was one of three Pakistan cricketers who received custodial sentences of at London's Southwark crown court in November over a scandal that rocked world sport.

After his release, Amir released a statement that only referred to Pakistan's recent victories over England in their first Test matches since the fixing-tainted 2010 series. "I am delighted for the Pakistani cricket team. My thoughts are with them," Amir said in a statement by his solicitors. "I wish them every success. I will not be making any further comment."

Amir's mentor, Asif Bajwa, said: "Amir is in high spirits and he will meet with his lawyers to decide when to appeal in Court of Arbitration against ICC's five-year suspension. Now that he has served his punishment, I am very optimistic that ICC will also look into the long term suspension."

The former Test captain Salman Butt, 27, was jailed for two and a half years for his role as the "orchestrator" of a plot to bowl deliberate no-balls in the 2010 Lord's Test against England.

The former world No2 Test bowler Mohammad Asif, 29, received a 12-month prison term for delivering one of the fraudulent no-balls.

Mazhar Majeed, 36, the corrupt London-based sports agent at the heart of the fixing scandal, was jailed for two years and eight months.

All three players are also serving five-year bans from cricket imposed by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The fixing scandal emerged after an undercover News of the World reporter approached Majeed in August 2010 pretending to be a wealthy Indian businessman seeking major international cricketers for a tournament.

The agent, from Croydon in south London, was secretly filmed accepting £150,000 in cash from the journalist as part of an arrangement to rig games.

Majeed promised the reporter that Asif and Amir would deliver three no-balls at specific points during the Test between Pakistan and England at Lord's from 26 to 29 August, 2010.

He claimed he had been carrying out fixing for two and a half years and had seven players from Pakistan's national side working for him.

The trial judge, Mr Justice Cooke, said Amir was "unsophisticated, uneducated and impressionable" and "readily leant on by others", but noted there was evidence that he also discussed rigging an earlier match with a betting contact in Pakistan.

He alluded to the young bowler's claim that he and his family had faced threats over his part in the fixing, and said this was supported by ICC evidence about the strength of the "underworld influences" who control illegal betting overseas.

Amir, who admitted bowling two intentional no-balls at Lord's, was named player of the series for his spells of wicket-taking against England in the summer of 2010.

He became the youngest cricketer ever to take 50 Test wickets and thrilled the crowds during the tour with his ability to rip through top-order batsmen.

Amir and Butt failed in an attempt to have their sentences reduced at the court of appeal in November.

I really hope for the good of the game, and the joy of watching brilliant cricketers play cricket, that the ICC can be pragmatic and make an exception and nullify the 5 year test ban they placed on Asif.

The ICC were absolutely correct in making the 5 year bans on all 3 players involved in the spot fixing scam and they should stay in place for Butt and Amir. But as even the judge noted in the court case, Asif was under considerable pressure to conform to an already strong culture of 'betting fixing' within the Pakistan team at the time and was too weak to resist.

It does nobody any good if this brilliant cricketer is made to serve out a 5 year ban, only the game, fans and team Pakistan lose out.

If the ICC could find a way for leniency, they should make it clear that this is exceptional case and certainly not to be interpreted as any kind of policy .... the strong deterrent to keep bet fixing in cricket has to remain .... but I'd just love to see this kid develop into the best he can, and given the early jolt and harsh learning he has undergone, I've no doubt, he'd double his efforts to fulfil his talents.

I'd hope captains of other test nation federations and captains would publicly support that Asif be shown leniency from the ICC.

Neutral · 2nd February 2012, 07:55

I disagree completely. Any leniency based on talent would imply...one rule for the superstars and another for the hacks.

The criminal justice system already showed him sympathy, hence the smaller jail sentence, the ICC should not make an exception. Instead he should be held up as an example to other youngsters....

All the talent in the world won't matter one iota if you fail to follow the rules!

anver · 2nd February 2012, 10:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neutral

I disagree completely. Any leniency based on talent would imply...one rule for the superstars and another for the hacks.

The criminal justice system already showed him sympathy, hence the smaller jail sentence, the ICC should not make an exception. Instead he should be held up as an example to other youngsters....

All the talent in the world won't matter one iota if you fail to follow the rules!

There are always exceptions to the rule.

Sultan · 2nd February 2012, 10:24

Amir was very likely forced, or coerced into submission.

Sultan · 2nd February 2012, 10:27

Pleading guilty, and age were the causes of his shorter prison term.

zing · 2nd February 2012, 12:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sultan

Amir was very likely forced, or coerced into submission.

He played in a domestic 50 over match in which a team got bowled out for 120 and his team chased it in 6 overs with Salman Butt hitting at a ridiculous strike. The fixing probably starts at the domestic level, so doubt Aamir's new to it.

Everyone's talking about him being such a poor, innocent boy just because he bowls well. If he'd been a shite cricketer, no would've cared.

ha_rooney · 2nd February 2012, 12:57

I think Amir's ban is unfair when you take into consideration his age and the fact he has no previous (at least not that I'm aware of). To have Amir banned for the same amount of time as Butt & Asif was a joke decision by the ICC, the latter two should have got life bans. I think a 2-3 year ban for Amir would suffice.

zing · 2nd February 2012, 12:58

Also, how do you let him continue bowling, without something not feeling right every time he runs up to bowl?

devilish · 2nd February 2012, 13:12

I feel so sorry that he had to pass 6 months in prison. I loved his posts

joking

zing · 2nd February 2012, 13:31

what

Neutral · 2nd February 2012, 13:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by ha_rooney

I think Amir's ban is unfair when you take into consideration his age and the fact he has no previous (at least not that I'm aware of). To have Amir banned for the same amount of time as Butt & Asif was a joke decision by the ICC, the latter two should have got life bans. I think a 2-3 year ban for Amir would suffice.

When you take their age into consideration, the other have been effectively handed life bans.

-Asif was what, 29 at the time of the ban, so 34 when he is eligible again...

-Butt obviously has time on his side, but even he won't be taken back into the fold.

-Amir will be 23-24, still plenty of time for him to have another 7-8 years of international cricket.

sammsky1 · 2nd February 2012, 15:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neutral

I disagree completely. Any leniency based on talent would imply...one rule for the superstars and another for the hacks.

The criminal justice system already showed him sympathy, hence the smaller jail sentence, the ICC should not make an exception. Instead he should be held up as an example to other youngsters....

All the talent in the world won't matter one iota if you fail to follow the rules!

fair enough ..... but with your hardline stance, we as cricket fans lose out. simples really.

At a time when 20:20 is ruining cricket as batsmen morph into primeval Fred Flintstone clubbers, the game is crying out for a beautiful swing bowler. The game is starved of top quality pace bowlers right now and no matter what he did in the past (Im sure he has been chastened enough by prison and the shame and ignominy of being caught spot fixing), nothing is gained by him in particular serving a full 5 year ban.

Yes, you are technically correct but in this particular case its not about whats right or wrong or the tail wagging the dog, the boy is a genuinely precocious talent and the games loses out with his presence.

sammsky1 · 2nd February 2012, 15:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by zing

Also, how do you let him continue bowling, without something not feeling right every time he runs up to bowl?

Im sure he has learned his lesson.

sammsky1 · 2nd February 2012, 15:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sultan

Amir was very likely forced, or coerced into submission.

Thats what the judge concluded.

Commadus · 2nd February 2012, 16:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neutral

I disagree completely. Any leniency based on talent would imply...one rule for the superstars and another for the hacks.

The criminal justice system already showed him sympathy, hence the smaller jail sentence, the ICC should not make an exception. Instead he should be held up as an example to other youngsters....

All the talent in the world won't matter one iota if you fail to follow the rules!

What a load of hogwash. Im not even a Pakistan supporter so I have not axe to grind but the sentence for Amir was typical lorgat trying to flex his muscles than deal with the real issues in cricket.

I hope he wins the appeal.

How did the Criminal justice system show him sympathy?

Commadus · 2nd February 2012, 16:05

Other banned cricketers

Jadeja's cricketing achievements were later overshadowed by a 5 year ban for match-fixing. The ban was later quashed by the Delhi High Court on 27 January 2003, making Jadeja eligible to play domestic and international cricket. Jadeja had approached the Delhi High Court on 2 February 2001, challenging the BCCI order imposing the five-year ban on the basis of the K. Madhavan Committee recommendations

Azhuraddin

Then he admitted to fixing three ODI matches,[6] and this led the BCCI to ban him from the game of cricket for life in 2000. The BCCI lifted the ban on Azharuddin in 2006 and even honoured him along with other Indian Test captains in a ceremony in Mumbai during the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy. The ICC, however, claimed that it alone had the right to revoke the ban despite playing no role in handing out the original ban.

Varun_Utd · 2nd February 2012, 16:05

See, you cant really accept that he was forced because of him being new and young and then proceed to hand him a similar ban as the others. doesnt make sense.

He's a young kid and the ruling admitted that he was forced into doing it. the actual culprits have been punished. After the whole fiasco, an example has already been set imo. Let the boy play. and it has nothing to do with his bowling ability for me.

Neutral · 3rd February 2012, 05:01

'Amir was coerced' - this was the narrative his representatives tried to portray, that doesn't mean that was the line the courts accepted completely. The Judge agreed, he was an uneducated simpleton, and that there was pressure on him to get in line, but...

the Judge went on to say this during the trial after his plea...

Quote:

36. You pleaded on a basis which I refused to accept - namely that your only involvement in spot fixing was at Lords on 26th and 27th August and that you only became involved as a result of pressure (not amounting to physical threats) and influence to the effect that if you did not become involved, it would have serious professional implications for your future career.

Quote:

42. Moreover the fact remains, that there is evidence, in the shape of texts and telephone calls with a Pakistani number of your involvement in discussions about fixing brackets at the Oval during the period of the indictment, though there is no evidence that such fixing actually occurred. That discussion did not relate to Majeed. The 2 no balls you actually bowled cannot be seen in isolation from this prior discussion.

Interval Level · 3rd February 2012, 05:48

The ban acts as a deterrence. He plead guilty of fixing and hence needs to be punished. Doesn't matter if he is young, wonderful bowler or cricket loses out.

Cricket needs more sentences like this to rid of the betting infestation that exists in the subcontinent.

If you'd found that Anderson purposely gave away a corner twice to get a pay off, what'd you suggest? Let off due to his talent? Or punished adequately?

Commadus · 3rd February 2012, 06:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Interval Level

The ban acts as a deterrence. He plead guilty of fixing and hence needs to be punished. Doesn't matter if he is young, wonderful bowler or cricket loses out.

Cricket needs more sentences like this to rid of the betting infestation that exists in the subcontinent.

If you'd found that Anderson purposely gave away a corner twice to get a pay off, what'd you suggest? Let off due to his talent? Or punished adequately?

Yeah as it doesnt happen in County cricket. Not mentioning Mervyn.

phelans shorts · 4th February 2012, 17:29

Disagree with scrapping the ban, do feel it should be reduced, 2 years should do it for Amir, who was nowhere near as involved as Butt and Asif. This isn't based on age or talent, more to do with the fact he always seemed to have been harshly treated, still can't believe how lenient they were with Butt tbh.

Dumbstar · 4th February 2012, 18:21

Only the ICC fully understand the underworld influence that pushes youngsters into this path. I've got a feeling Amir will be offered leniency on this basis, maybe a reduced ban and the remaining term suspended. Asif and Butt probably won't be able to offer the same defence therefore are the real villains that should be made an example of.

sammsky1 · 6th February 2012, 04:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dumbstar

Only the ICC fully understand the underworld influence that pushes youngsters into this path. I've got a feeling Amir will be offered leniency on this basis, maybe a reduced ban and the remaining term suspended. Asif and Butt probably won't be able to offer the same defence therefore are the real villains that should be made an example of.

Should start with a thorough analysis of Alec Stewart's bank accounts!

Neutral · 1st March 2012, 14:35

Quote:

Amir will not appeal ICC ban

Umar Farooq

March 1, 2012
Be the first to comment | Login via | Text size: A | A

Mohammad Amir, the Pakistan fast bowler, has decided not to appeal, in the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the five-year ban imposed on him by the ICC for spot-fixing during the 2010 Lord's Test against England.

"Amir told the ICC earlier this week through his lawyer that he would not be appealing against his five-year ban," an ICC spokesman told ESPNcricinfo.

The decision was taken after legal experts said they believed the possibility of a successful outcome was reduced by Amir pleading guilty before the ICC and a London court. Last November, Amir and team-mates Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif were given sentences for bowling deliberate no-balls during the Test.

Well there you are...

MikeUpNorth · 1st March 2012, 17:08

He's a cheat. 5 years is probably about right. This culture of fixing and scamming is a cancer on the game.

zing · 1st March 2012, 18:04

The strange thing is the stern punishments aren't acting as deterrents. Two unnamed Pakistanis have been implicated in the recently concluded T20 league in Bangladesh.

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2nd February 2012, 07:55	#2 (permalink)
Neutral BTV Join Date: May 2010 Location: DC/Canberra/Dhaka Posts: 7,319	I disagree completely. Any leniency based on talent would imply...one rule for the superstars and another for the hacks. The criminal justice system already showed him sympathy, hence the smaller jail sentence, the ICC should not make an exception. Instead he should be held up as an example to other youngsters.... All the talent in the world won't matter one iota if you fail to follow the rules!

2nd February 2012, 10:24	#4 (permalink)
Sultan السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: It is better for a leader to make a mistake in forgiving than to make a mistake in punishing Posts: 34,260	Amir was very likely forced, or coerced into submission.

2nd February 2012, 10:27	#5 (permalink)
Sultan السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: It is better for a leader to make a mistake in forgiving than to make a mistake in punishing Posts: 34,260	Pleading guilty, and age were the causes of his shorter prison term.

2nd February 2012, 12:57	#7 (permalink)
ha_rooney First Team Regular Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 15,176	I think Amir's ban is unfair when you take into consideration his age and the fact he has no previous (at least not that I'm aware of). To have Amir banned for the same amount of time as Butt & Asif was a joke decision by the ICC, the latter two should have got life bans. I think a 2-3 year ban for Amir would suffice.

2nd February 2012, 12:58	#8 (permalink)
zing Zingle balls Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Chennai Posts: 7,810	Also, how do you let him continue bowling, without something not feeling right every time he runs up to bowl?

2nd February 2012, 13:12	#9 (permalink)
devilish First Team Regular Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 27,222	I feel so sorry that he had to pass 6 months in prison. I loved his posts joking

2nd February 2012, 13:31	#10 (permalink)
zing Zingle balls Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Chennai Posts: 7,810	what

2nd February 2012, 16:05	#16 (permalink)
Commadus First Team Sub Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 8,786	Other banned cricketers Jadeja's cricketing achievements were later overshadowed by a 5 year ban for match-fixing. The ban was later quashed by the Delhi High Court on 27 January 2003, making Jadeja eligible to play domestic and international cricket. Jadeja had approached the Delhi High Court on 2 February 2001, challenging the BCCI order imposing the five-year ban on the basis of the K. Madhavan Committee recommendations Azhuraddin Then he admitted to fixing three ODI matches,[6] and this led the BCCI to ban him from the game of cricket for life in 2000. The BCCI lifted the ban on Azharuddin in 2006 and even honoured him along with other Indian Test captains in a ceremony in Mumbai during the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy. The ICC, however, claimed that it alone had the right to revoke the ban despite playing no role in handing out the original ban.

2nd February 2012, 16:05	#17 (permalink)
Varun_Utd First Team Sub Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: New Delhi Posts: 9,009	See, you cant really accept that he was forced because of him being new and young and then proceed to hand him a similar ban as the others. doesnt make sense. He's a young kid and the ruling admitted that he was forced into doing it. the actual culprits have been punished. After the whole fiasco, an example has already been set imo. Let the boy play. and it has nothing to do with his bowling ability for me.

3rd February 2012, 05:48	#19 (permalink)
Interval Level First Team Sub Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Oh Teddy Teddy Posts: 7,086	The ban acts as a deterrence. He plead guilty of fixing and hence needs to be punished. Doesn't matter if he is young, wonderful bowler or cricket loses out. Cricket needs more sentences like this to rid of the betting infestation that exists in the subcontinent. If you'd found that Anderson purposely gave away a corner twice to get a pay off, what'd you suggest? Let off due to his talent? Or punished adequately?

4th February 2012, 17:29	#21 (permalink)
phelans shorts First Team Regular Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Gaz. Is a Mewling Quim. Posts: 20,291	Disagree with scrapping the ban, do feel it should be reduced, 2 years should do it for Amir, who was nowhere near as involved as Butt and Asif. This isn't based on age or talent, more to do with the fact he always seemed to have been harshly treated, still can't believe how lenient they were with Butt tbh.

4th February 2012, 18:21	#22 (permalink)
Dumbstar First Team Sub Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Going nowhere Posts: 6,969	Only the ICC fully understand the underworld influence that pushes youngsters into this path. I've got a feeling Amir will be offered leniency on this basis, maybe a reduced ban and the remaining term suspended. Asif and Butt probably won't be able to offer the same defence therefore are the real villains that should be made an example of.

1st March 2012, 17:08	#25 (permalink)
MikeUpNorth Wobbles like a massive pair of tits Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 14,254	He's a cheat. 5 years is probably about right. This culture of fixing and scamming is a cancer on the game.

1st March 2012, 18:04	#26 (permalink)
zing Zingle balls Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Chennai Posts: 7,810	The strange thing is the stern punishments aren't acting as deterrents. Two unnamed Pakistanis have been implicated in the recently concluded T20 league in Bangladesh.