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LAHORE: Disgraced former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif said on Monday his appeal against a seven-year ban for spot-fixing will be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in February.
The 29-year-old was jailed by a British court in November last year after being found guilty of corruption charges over deliberate no-balls during the Lord's Test against England in August 2010.
Teammates Salman Butt and Mohammad Amir were also jailed in the same case.
All three were freed earlier this year.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) also handed the trio long bans. But Asif, who returned to Pakistan on Sunday, told reporters he had taken his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sports.
“I have come home after one year and missed my family, friends and my country,” said Asif.
“My appeal against the ICC ban will be heard in February next year and I hope that I will get justice.”
Asif, who has been banned twice for drugs offences, accused the ICC of prejudice.
“The ICC was prejudiced in my case and I am going to highlight that during my appeal,” he said. “I can never think of staining my country's name and I did nothing wrong.
“It was a case of a no-ball and that can happen in a cricket match. My book on this case is also coming shortly in which I will highlight some points which were not highlighted by the media until now.”
Asif came to be regarded as one of Pakistan's finest new-ball bowlers after making his debut on the Australia tour in 2004.
He took 106 wickets in 23 Tests and 46 wickets in 38 one-day internationals but his career was blighted by controversies.
He and team-mate Shoaib Akhtar failed a drugs test and were banned for one year in 2006, though the ban was later overturned on appeal.
He was again banned for a year after failing a drugs test during the Indian Premier League in 2008, and on his return from the league was detained at Dubai airport after a banned drug was found in his possession.
Asif said he hoped to return to the game after getting his ban lifted.
“I am fit and have played a club-level game in England and once the ban is lifted I am sure I can return to cricket and help my country,” he said.
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On DawnNews
Comments (36) Closed
Oct 29, 2012 05:54pm
Pakistan should proceed against these cheats. They ruined Pakistan name and PCB should take them to court for dishonouring pakistan.They are the real traitors. Alas, some media oultlets hire these cheat as experts. Isn't it a good case for suo moto by Supreme court?.
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Oct 30, 2012 04:08am
These cheaters just don't give up..honestly not that it matters, but I don't think I will be able to watch a cricket game the day I see Salman Butt and Muhammad Asif in the line up.
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Oct 29, 2012 02:34pm
The country doesn
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Oct 29, 2012 01:44pm
Fixers have no place in cricket..........he should be banned for life.........
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Oct 29, 2012 05:53pm
He is a habitual offender. He has no place in Pakistan Cricket. It is better to loose a match than loosing face. Immorality should never be accepted.
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Oct 29, 2012 02:02pm
come on shut up now!!!!
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Oct 29, 2012 02:12pm
You shameless character shut your.
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Oct 29, 2012 10:08pm
" When The One Great Scorer comes to write against your name,
He marks not that you won or lost but how you played the game."
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Grantland Rice
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Oct 29, 2012 06:46pm
There have been many many cricketers around the world since Kerry Packers started his show in South Africa many years back. Not too many cricketers have been caught, charged, tried, and punished for their acts. The one who gets caught is a "chore" and others get away, scott-free and become "sahukaar."
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Oct 30, 2012 02:16am
Most people with the "Ban him for life" opinion have not read the transcript of the hearings.
For treating sensationalized headlines as gospel, those people should be banned for life.
Evidence against Asif was insufficient for conviction: His no-ball was marginal. There were only two text messages from him and none were incriminating. I'm not sure if any money was found on him either.
Herschelle Gibbs had been more guilty. There is an immense difference between spot-fixing and match-fixing, though that is not taken into account either. 1 year ban for match fixing and 5 year ban for spot-fixing.
Asif should not have been banned, he should have been on probation and he should've been made to complete a course on sportsmanship and the perils of spot-fixing.
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Oct 30, 2012 03:03am
It was nice to see a unanimous condemnation of a cheater from all the comments on this page. I wish we could do the same against our rulers too and atleast be able to show / express the dislike. Unfortunately there is no ICC to convict them. Asif is a product of a society that takes pride in cheating and lawlessness. I am sure there are many more siting on important post and willing to let Pakistan down for their individual gains. Surey Palace is one example of that behaviour.
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Oct 29, 2012 01:37pm
Dubai immigration was also prejudiced... come on Asif.... we have had enough disgrace... don't bring us more.
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Oct 29, 2012 01:55pm
Forget you Mohammad Asif! You are a disgrace to Pakistan and you deserve nothing less than a ban for life. You threw away a high honour and privilege that only a very few get to represent their country carelessly and selfishly for petty money. I hope for the rest of your life, you get to think about your actions and the resulting disgrace they brought to all of us Pakistanis. You do not deserve a second chance in Pakistan cricket! Ever!
I wish players like you who cheat and bring a bad name to Country serve jail time in Pakistan as well!!!!
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Oct 29, 2012 01:58pm
I think this guy is still on drugs.If he was normal he would have died of shame.
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Oct 29, 2012 01:56pm
There was only 1-fixer. It was Aamir himself. Butt and Asif had no role to play. Proof: Aamir will play again, but these two never. Further, Asif, no ball was even may not considered a no ball as it was almost no no-ball. I wish he will get justice.
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Oct 29, 2012 04:35pm
Why as a nation we do not have the courage of accepting the responsibility of our wrong doings? Whether it is sports, politics, or anywhere else, I have never heard of any distinguished personality from our country accepting responsibility for the crimes he has committed.
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Oct 29, 2012 04:30pm
Well country comes first then everything else,, think of those poor kids they work to earn money and to buy a bat and play . Poor people always pray for you guys just for the sake of country. Now We know you got talent, but it useless,, putting you back in to your villages,, will give a lesson to the newly rising stars. Respect your country ,or don't ask for respect. Good Bye ,we Pakistanis have talent everywhere, we rather look for honest new ones,, you guys are history,, and shame on you!!!!!!!!!!!
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Oct 29, 2012 09:02pm
I do not know the whole story and before I judge anyone want to understand the whole episode. If the no ball was just a close no ball then I would like to know how close and the basis why ICC judged him guilty? Was it because Salaam and Amir framed him or was it because he was involved. I am trying to read on the older stories to understand what we really went on!
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Oct 30, 2012 01:53am
who cares? I don't why this guy even get media coverage
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Oct 29, 2012 03:15pm
Yeah you are so right, ICC did not do the justice by not banning you for life. People like you should be banned even from entering in sports ground because you can start corruption at any level.
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Oct 29, 2012 02:41pm
Yes, we don't want to see this guy as member of Pakistan cricket team any more.
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Oct 29, 2012 07:19pm
The biggest culprit is Salman Butt. He should have been in jail rather than commenting on a world cup match. Salman Butt deprived this country of the finest bowling attack ever. None of these three should ever be allowed to play again.
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Oct 29, 2012 02:17pm
I fully agree. Cheaters have no place in the game. He represented Pakistan and didnt even think for a second that with his name, the name of Pakistan would also be tarnished. Does he not understand that?. People of Pakistan and cricket lovers around the world don't need cheats like you Asif. Do something else with your life. Your time is up.
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Oct 30, 2012 01:06am
Asif can be describe in three words. Corrrupt, shameless and offensive.
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Oct 29, 2012 07:31pm
For me, I don't ever want to see you play again in any form of cricket and personally I think ICC was soft on you not prejudiced. The fact that you are still trying to convince people that you did nothing wrong tells me you have no remorse for what you did. Shame on you. You defamed yourself, your family and your country.
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Oct 29, 2012 03:35pm
Allowing Asif to play cricket again will undoubtedly send a wrong message to youngsters. Asif had a chance and he blew it. Time to move on.
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Oct 29, 2012 09:57pm
:O)
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Oct 29, 2012 09:55pm
Everyone is innocent, even after being proven guilty.
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Oct 29, 2012 10:00pm
" I hope for the rest of your life, you get to think about your actions and the resulting disgrace they brought to all of us Pakistanis. "
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That is the real punishment. He will think about it.
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Oct 29, 2012 04:16pm
Why this news item. Is Asif that important to receive coverage in a leading newspaper. There are more important issues deserving in dept coverage, it appears that Dawn has lost its vision. Using modern IT tools Dawn has to play an important role in eradicating/ reducing sufferings of common man, restore some national pride and dignity, and to contribute in eliminating extremism from Pakistani society to make it more beautiful than before.
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Oct 29, 2012 09:16pm
It is obvious that he is using his book stunt to make money.This is just cheap PR he is trying to attain.How low can this guy stoop really!!!I won't be surprised if he uses religion,country to gain sympathy!!!PCB should not allow him or Butt into any sport related activities(commentary,analysis etc.)
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Oct 29, 2012 09:12pm
I think Pakistan should give an opportunity to new talent. Junaid Khan has the potential to be the best in the world and Give a chance to Tabish Khan who took a hatrick (all clean Bowled ) in the recent T20 against International XI
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Oct 29, 2012 02:04pm
Keep up the good Work ICC.
Don't blame ICC.
Pakistani cricket lot lack discipline, and you guys thought that you would get away with anything.
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Oct 30, 2012 06:28am
What??
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Oct 29, 2012 05:35pm
Mistakes can happen from any one... Dont be fooled by not giving this wonderful gifted bowler another chance. Life is about taking and giving chances
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Oct 29, 2012 06:34pm
Rattan, you are right about this guy and I even liked your comment. But let's not forget that all this match fixing is being done by Indian betting cartels and the prejudiced ICC doesn't want to take any action against them. Probably, it does not want to annoy cash rich BCCI. People like Asif are street level thieves. We have to catch the big fish to rid the game of corrupt practices.
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