Gilly calls for life ban

Australian cricket great Adam Gilchrist has called for life bans if the players arrested for their alleged role in spot-fixing in the ongoing IPL are found guilty.

“For my mind, any player found involved in any implications where they are proven that they have handled illegal bookmakers’ bets or whatever, there is no place for them in the game whatsoever ever again. It’s so clear now, we are so knowledgeable on this, there is no excuse.’’
“So if proven guilty, the harshest penalty from a cricketing point of view should be applied and that’s banned for life,” Gilchrist said.

Gilchrist, who plays for the Kings XI Punjab in the IPL, said naivete or ignorance could no longer be used as an excuse.

“It’s one of the most disrespectful things that anyone could do as a fellow cricketer. They are affording such disrespect to their peers by doing this. There is absolutely no excuse for this in this day and age,” he was quoted as saying in the media.