Butt/Amir Appeal to CAS Against Bans, Asif Intentions Unknown

Lawyers for two of the Pakistan cricketers banned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) last month after being found guilty of corruption, Salman Butt and Mohammad Amir, have filed appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the sanctions placed against them in the spot-fixing scandal.

Butt was banned for ten years – five of them suspended, while Amir was banned for five. Mohammad Asif, banned for seven years, two of which are suspended, is yet to appeal against the tribunal’s decision despite denying any wrongdoing in last summer’s Test Match versus England..

The players were all banned after UK newspaper – the News of the World reported no balls were bowled at specific points in England’s innings after a payment was made to a businessman.

Former captain Butt said in a statement: “This is to confirm that today my legal team served a statement of appeal.”

Amir’s lawyer Shahid Karim said he filed his client’s appeal on Friday, stating: “The process is now to set to motion, we have challenged the judgment of the tribunal on various grounds.”

In a separate development, the players are due to appear at City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 17 March to face charges of conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments and conspiracy to cheat.