The International Cricket Council and the Bangladesh Cricket Board on Friday confirmed they will appeal against the Bangladesh Premier League match-fixing verdict delivered by the BCB Anti-Corruption Tribunal. As per the rule, the first appeal will be made to the chairman of the BCB’s disciplinary panel, retired Supreme Court Justice Mohammad Abdur Rashid, and if required the second appeal will be made to the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Switzerland.
The ICC and the BCB made their intention clear in a joint statement, though it is not still clear if the ICC will appeal only against six acquittals or the whole verdict.
‘At this stage, the ICC and the BCB have confirmed their intention to appeal against the decision. More details will follow in due course,’ ICC spokesman Sami Ul Hasan told New Age.
The three-member Tribunal, headed by retired justice Khademul Islam Chowdhury, on February 26 had acquitted six of the nine individuals charged by the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit for being party to the match-fixing scandal.
Dhaka Gladiators owner Salim Chowdhury, left-arm spinner Mosharraf Hossain, pace bowler Mahbubul Alam, English cricketer Darren Stevenson, bowling coach Mohammad Rafique and manager Gourav Rawat were all acquitted as the charges against them could not be proved beyond doubt.
The Tribunal later on June 18 this year banned former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful, who pleaded guilty, for eight years and fined him Tk 10 lakh. It also banned Dhaka Gladiators managing director Shihab Chowdhury for 10 years along with a fine of Tk 20 lakh.
New Zealand cricketer Lou Vincent and Sri Lankan Kaushal Lokuarachchi, who were charged for failure to report corrupt approach, have been suspended for three and one-and-a half years respectively.
Lokuarachchi had already appealed against the ban while sources close to Ashraful said the former national captain is also considering the same. Vincent, who was implicated only in the trial-phase, recently admitted all his crime in a statement.
The ICC, which was engaged by the BCB to investigate the matter, was, however, unhappy over the acquittals from the beginning.
‘The ICC and the BCB can confirm that they have received the full written verdict from the Anti-Corruption Tribunal,’ an ICC statement said on Friday.
‘As previously indicated, we are extremely disappointed at the outcome of the proceedings, and seeing the reasons given by the Tribunal for its decision has done nothing to address our concerns.
‘In the ICC’s view, clear and compelling evidences of corruption by a number of individuals have not been taken into account properly.
‘Having now had the opportunity to review the detailed decision in its entirety and taken advice on it, we believe that we have very strong grounds on which we can base our appeal.
‘We do not believe that the sport would be sending the right message if it does not challenge what, in our opinion, are incorrect findings,’ said the statement.
-With New Age input
