KARACHI, Pakistan: The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) yesterday confirmed it will hear appeals from Pakistan cricketers Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt, two years after they were banned for spot-fixing.
The CAS website and both players said the appeals against the International Cricket Council (ICC) bans will be heard between February 5-8 next year.
“Asif’s appeal will be heard between 5-7 February while Butt’s appeal will be taken up on February 8,” the CAS confirmed from its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Captain Butt and fast bowlers Asif and Mohammad Aamer were all banned by the ICC for contriving to bowl deliberate no-balls during the Lord’s Test between Pakistan and England in August 2010.
Butt was banned for 10 years, with five suspended, Asif for seven years with two suspended and teenager Aamer for five years.
The trio were also jailed by a British court over the scandal in November 2011. All three were released earlier this year after completing half of their sentences.
Aamer decided not to pursue his appeal to the CAS after pleading guilty to the charges before the UK court.
Asif, who returned home last week, confirmed his appeal will be heard in February.
“I had filed the appeal after the ban but could not pursue it because of the criminal proceedings, but now it will be taken up by the CAS in the first week of February,” Asif said. AFP
