Butt, Asif to attend CAS hearing

 Pakistan’s disgraced former captain Salman Butt has left for Switzerland, along with ex-team-mate Mohammed Asif, to attend an International Court of Arbitration for Sports’ appeal hearing against the spot-fixing ban on the duo.

“I am going with high hopes that we will finally get justice in this forum,” Butt said before leaving on Tuesday. “I filed an appeal with the CAS because all along, I have pleaded my innocence and said I am not guilty of any corruption,” Butt said.

The two Pakistan players and young pacer Mohammad Aamer were banned in early 2011 by ICC’s anti-corruption tribunal for spot-fixing. They were later also prosecuted by a crown court in London and returned home last year after serving the jail terms. While Butt and Asif have filed appeals with the CAS, Aamer, who admitted his guilt before the crown court, decided against making any appeal.

Butt said conflict resolution professional Graeme Mew will hear the appeals at the CAS.
Butt, Aamer and Asif were accused of spot-fixing in the fourth Test between England and Pakistan in Aug 2010 at the Lord’s -- a scandal which rocked the international cricket world.