Hameed to lodge complaint against NOTW for implicating him in ’spot-fixing’ scandal

KARACHI - Discarded Pakistan batsman Yasir Hameed will soon lodge a complaint with the Press Complaints Commission of England against British tabloid News of the World (NOTW) for implicating him in a ’spot-fixing’ scandal.

“I have advised him to first submit a complaint with the Press Complaints Commission of England against the NOTW for using him (Yasir) in a sting operation, which was illegal and unethical,” the Daily Times quoted Hameed’s lawyer Umar Khayyam, as saying.

“My client was wrongly implicated in the whole scandal and his interview was broadcast based on conjectures and it was an interview that was supposed to be unofficial,” he added.

Hameed was at the centre of the spot-fixing controversy in Pakistan’s tour of England earlier this year, when NOTW released a video interview, in which he was shown claiming that several Pakistani players were involved in betting and corruption.

The 32-year-old later issued an affidavit through the High Commission claiming that his comments were simply a repeat of the allegations made against Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir, and Mohammad Asif that had already been reported by the media.

He claims that he was duped into talking to the tabloid’s investigative journalist, believing him to be a sponsor offering a 50,000 pound deal with the airline Etihad.

“We are confident that the Press Complaints Commission of England will take note of our complaint and provide some redress to my client who has suffered a lot since the interview was released and whose career has also been badly affected by the incident,” Khayyam said.

Hameed is shown on the hidden camera speaking casually about the case against the Pakistan team but goes further claiming he lost his place in the team because he refused to become involved in match-fixing. (ANI)