LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced to file an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), in Lausanne, Switzerland, against the reduction of Umar Akmal’s ban for violating the PCB Anti-Corruption Code.
According to a statement issued by PCB today, the decision was taken following a review of the detailed order of the independent adjudicator, whereby the length of Umar Akmal’s ban has been lessened from 36 months to 18 months on grounds of taking a compassionate view.
Under Article 7.5.4 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code, an appeal against the decision of the independent adjudicator lies exclusively before the CAS. In the statement, the board said the PCB takes issues relating to anti-corruption very gravely and firmly maintains a zero-tolerance approach.
The PCB believes a senior cricketer like Umar Akmal was aware of the consequences when, after having attended a number of anti-corruption lectures at a domestic and international level, having witnessed the consequences of indulging in corrupt conduct, still failed to report the approaches to the relevant authorities, it added.
It further said the board, in its obligation and drives against corruption in the field of sports, has already submitted a draft proposal with the relevant authorities around legislation on criminalizing corruption in sports.
PCB has also reviewed the existing legislation enacted within Pakistan whilst noting that the same fail to adequately target and address corruption/illegal manipulation in sports.
In the draft, the PCB has recommended severe sanctions pertaining to corruption, illegal manipulation, betting, match and spot-fixing as well as aiding and abetting such conduct; and proposes the penalties to be imposed on individuals found guilty of engaging in such offenses.
Akmal’s 18-month ban had been backdated to February 20 when he was provisionally suspended and the 30-year-old will be eligible to play from August 2021.
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