Ten-year ban for umpire Shah
Cricket : ICC praises BCB action on official
Bangladesh have banned Nadir Shah, who umpired in 40 one-day internationals between 2006-11, for 10 years for corruption.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) handed out the punishment on Monday following an investigation by a special inquiry committee.
In October, the Hindi-language news channel India TV showed footage of Shah and other officials from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan allegedly negotiating deals with under-cover reporters to affect the outcome of matches.
"Umpire Nadir Shah will not be considered for a BCB retainer for 10 years," the Bangladesh Cricket Board said in a statement. "During this period he will not be eligible for any assignment under the jurisdiction of the BCB."
Shah said he would appeal against the ban. “The decision is totally wrong as there was no proof of my guilt,” he told reporters in Dhaka.
"I will appeal to the BCB to reconsider their decision. I am talking with my lawyer to help get justice through legal means."
Shah, a member of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) panel of umpires, also officiated in three Twenty20 internationals.
The ICC lauded the BCB for imposing the ban. The governing body’s Chief Executive David Richardson said “although the ICC was not directly involved in these cases”, it was glad that action has been taken against corruption.
“The ICC takes no pleasure from the fact that an umpire has been found to have acted inappropriately and sanctioned accordingly, however, the decision reflects the commitment of the ICC and its Members to root out corruption from our Great Sport,” he said in a statement.
“This decision also reiterates cricket’s zero-tolerance approach towards corruption and should serve as a reminder to all stakeholders, be they umpires, players, curators or administrators of the risks and challenges the sport faces.
“We can only beat the corruptors by remaining vigilant and by following the procedures and protocols which are in place,” he concluded.
In case of Shah, the BCB declared that he would not be considered by for retainership and would not be eligible for any assignment under the Board’s jurisdiction for a 10 year period, in both cases effective immediately.
Meanwhile, Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat, who was also shown in the sting, was absolved of the charges in an inquiry conducted by the BCB. Saikat, however, was cleared of any misconduct and was therefore eligible to undertake match officiating under the BCB’s jurisdiction immediately.
