Mohammed Amir cleared to return with immediate effect

[harsh.ag]

But none of these things we wished for has happened and everybody has served the punishments they got. If it is not fair to disallow Amir because some people (I) feel he was let off too easily, wouldn't it be unfair to disallow Asif and Butt because we feel they were given a light sentence?

No

 

[indiaholic]

Yes

 

[Bahnz]

I felt everyone's sentence was a bit light. Butt and Asif should have had sentences long enough that they would have 0 chances of making an international return and Amir should have at least lost a substantial chunk of his prime years.

But none of these things we wished for has happened and everybody has served the punishments they got. If it is not fair to disallow Amir because some people (I) feel he was let off too easily, wouldn't it be unfair to disallow Asif and Butt because we feel they were given a light sentence?

Oh yeah, sure they've been sentenced and served their time. The authorities retroactively making a decision that they can never play again would be disgraceful. Nonetheless, if I were in the PCB's position I would think very carefully about the potential consequences of letting people like Butt and Asif back into the national side (given Butt's role as the ring-leader and Asif's long history of cheating and ill-discipline).

 

[indiaholic]

Agreed again. Presumably all three have undergone enough anti corruption training so that they say the right things to the young guys in the team? I felt Amir would be a problem too in that respect.. Youngsters getting the wrong message that it may be a risk worth taking because chances are they won't get caught and it is better to do it when you are young because you have a good chance of getting into the side again.

 

[Bahnz]

I also think that it's a disgrace that Asif was even allowed to play international cricket in 2010, given that he'd already been caught twice taking steroids.

 

[indiaholic]

Oh absolute disgrace.. And was caught with some other non steroidal illegal drugs too?

 

[Athlai]

I feel Amir's sentence was about right. Asif and Butt should've gotten longer sentences imo (I think Butt's original sentence was 10 years, with 5 years suspended - but a straight 10 years sounds fairer to me).

I mean, the justice system even assigned it differently. Amir got 6 months, Asif got 1 year and Butt got 30 months. But ICC just slaps 5 years on all?

WTF?

 

[indiaholic]

I mean, the justice system even assigned it differently. Amir got 6 months, Asif got 1 year and Butt got 30 months. But ICC just slaps 5 years on all?

WTF?

Yeah was ******** as ****.. The original bans were for 5, 7 and 10 years... Then everybody except Amir got a suspended sentence.

 

[Flem274*]

I think all three should have life bans from cricket but Asif and Butt are definitely worse than Amir. Butt was the ringleader and Asif has numerous discipline issues in his history.

They've screwed themselves over with the 5 year thing since really, do you want the ringleader having the technical right to be considered for selection?

 

[wellAlbidarned]

dafuk, how is butt only 31

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Same way that Afridi is 25.

 

[Prince EWS]

They've screwed themselves over with the 5 year thing since really, do you want the ringleader having the technical right to be considered for selection?

This will probably surprise some people given what I've said in the thread so far, but I actually kind do want them to all have the technical right to be considered for selection. I think in an ideal world the individual boards would hand down punishments for fixing as opposed to it being the ICC.

I think the ICC has a role in banning players when they cheat because the boards don't really have a great incentive to stop their players from cheating, but fixing is 'anti-cheating' in a way, and the national boards in question are amongst the prime victims. I have a preference for all fixing bans being life-long, but in terms of who gives them out, I'd actually prefer it to not be the ICC. One of the unfortunate effects from my perspective of the ICC giving out a short ban rather than no ban at all and leaving it to the boards is the idea people have of these players having 'served their time', as if the time they were banned for is some fixed principle that isn't up for debate.

 

[mr_mister]

i'm happy for them all to come back

mainly amir though due to his age

 

[smash84]

If we're having them back asif's bowling was the most enjoyable

 

[harsh.ag]

If we're having them back asif's bowling was the most enjoyable

Don't even go there smali

 

[mr_mister]

yeah personally i rate asif as one of the best of his whole era, i tend to wind up with him in drafts around here as i think people are a bit of wary of choosing match fixers


but amir has ten years on him so like, more to be excited about

 

[weldone]

All the best for the match in about 6 hours' time Amir!

 

[smash84]

All the best for the match in about 6 hours' time Amir!

My apologies, but That's so corny weldone

 

[marc71178]

you clearly forget what it's like to be 18

This is not an ordinary 18 year old though, it is an international cricketer who had received full training about corruption so knew exactly that what he was doing was wrong.

 

[social]

This is not an ordinary 18 year old though, it is an international cricketer who had received full training about corruption so knew exactly that what he was doing was wrong.

I don't condone what Amir did and don't really care whether I see him bowl ever again but he has served his time and was under the influence of 2 of the most senior players in world cricket (they can get ****ed IMO)

Give him the benefit of the doubt, let him play and cop whatever crap virtually every spectator & player around the world is going to give him

If he transgresses again or crumbles then so be it and he will be gone soon enough anyway