Tainted Pak bowler Amir files appeal against ICC’s five-year ban

ISLAMABAD - Disgraced Pakistan bowler Mohammad Amir has contested the five-year ban imposed on him by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on spot-fixing charges.

On February 5, an independent Anti-Corruption Tribunal appointed by the ICC to hear into the spot-fixing case imposed a “sanction of five years of ineligibility” on Mohammad Amir, the youngest of the three accused. The other two- Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif- have been banned for longer periods.

Amir filed the appeal against the ICC ban in the International Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) based in Switzerland, The Express Tribune reports.

His lawyer Shahid Karim said that he was hopeful for a positive outcome of their appeal to the CAS, arguing that the Anti-Corruption Tribunal had not taken Amir’s age or his previous disciplinary record into consideration while making its decision.

Earlier this month, Pakistan Cricket Board chief Ijaz Butt had also requested a review of the ban on Amir.

“As the anti-corruption tribunal has asked for a review on the code of conduct, we too have requested the ICC to have a review on the five-year ban on Amir,” said Butt, who had hoped the matter would be discussed at the next board meeting of the ICC.

The suspended trio can appeal within 21 days from February 5- when the bans were imposed on them- to appeal against the tribunal’s verdict. (ANI)