PCB bans Test umpire Nadeem Ghauri on corruption charges

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ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket
Board suspended international umpire
Nadeem Ghauri for four years on
Saturday for agreeing to “extend
undue favors for material gain” during
a sting operation carried out by a
Indian television channel last year.
The PCB said that Ghauri, who officiated
in five tests, 43 one-day internationals
and four Twenty20s, will not be
considered for any appointment during
the length of his ban.
Domestic umpire Anis Siddique was
banned for three years after the integrity
committee felt he initially resisted the
offers during the same sting operation
“but finally conceded to them on their
persistence.”
The PCB formed an inquiry committee
soon after the sting operation alleged
Pakistani umpires were engaged in
corruption last October. The committee
also received unedited video footage from
the Indian TV station and information
from the International Cricket Council.
Both umpires submitted statements and
were cross-examined by the committee,
which included PCB official and former
captain and coach Intikhab Alam.
“Both umpires failed to exercise caution
and sound judgment, which resulted in
their entrapment in the said sting
operation,” the PCB statement said.
“The submissions made by both umpires
failed to corroborate/correlate with the
contents of the authenticated video
footage.”
The committee’s recommendations were
given to PCB’s integrity committee, which
met on Saturday under board chairman
Zaka Ashraf.
The integrity committee members said
“they were of the unanimous view that
substantial incriminating material was
available on record suggestive of the fact
that both the umpires were willing to
compromise their integrity in discharge of
their professional duties.”
Ashraf said the PCB has a zero-tolerance
policy for corruption or indiscipline.
“We are committed on creating
awareness amongst our players and
officials with regards to the possible
pitfalls, and are determined to adopt all
vigilance and security parameters, which
are in line with the laid out procedures of
the ICC,” he said.
“Today’s decision reiterates the
commitment of the PCB to keep our great
sport free of all corrupt practices.”
Last month, Bangladesh’s cricket board
banned umpire Nadir Shah for 10 years
on similar charges of corruption. Several
first class umpires from Sri Lanka,
Pakistan and Bangladesh were allegedly
exposed in the Indian TV sting operation,
in which the reporters claimed to be from
a sports management company.
Sri Lanka Cricket has yet to start
investigating the matter.

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