Mohamed Amir

Mohamed Amir

The former Test captain Butt and pace bowlers Mohamed Amir and Mohammad Asif were found guilty of corruption by an ICC tribunal in February in Doha. Butt was banned for 10 years, with five suspended if the 26-year-old does not reoffend and takes part in a Pakistan Cricket Board anti-corruption campaign.

Asif, 28, was banned for seven years with two suspended under the same terms as Butt, while 18-year-old Amir was given a five-year ban. Only Amir, whose lawyer said he would appeal, has a realistic chance of playing international cricket again if the bans are upheld.

Five-year bans were the minimum an independent three-man tribunal could impose under the ICC’s anti-corruption code once it had concluded that Butt, Asif and Amir were guilty of spot-fixing in the fourth Test against England at Lord’s last August.

The tribunal’s head, Michael Beloff QC, has recommended changes to the ICC code of conduct to provide flexibility in imposing minimum sentences.  If the code is amended there will be some relief to the three players found guilty.
Here is an anti-corruption education video featuring Mohamed Amir released by ICC.