Should Mohammad Amir be banned or rehabilitated, if found guilty?

[The Outsider]

We don't know Aamer's side of the story Shwetabh and for what reasons he got involved (possibly coerced, intimidated) into this. In the context of 100's of runs, what difference could a no ball here and there possibly make ? No body knows the no balls were pre arranged (no signals) and in what way would a couple of harmless no balls influence the outcome of the match ? Easy money, relatively secure and notoriously difficult to prove, you can see how he was lulled into a false sense of security. I think the no balls were to demonstrate to NOTW what Mazid was capable of and to show that the could influence the team to deliberately under performing if millions are to made in illegal gambling. The deliberate no balls can be thought of a "proof of concept" almost, just to show that he's got the Pak team in his pockets and can buy them into doing whatever he wishes.

Reading posts about him being coerced and forced is laughable. There are so many avenues for him to blow the whistle - the ACU, the media, the police even if he does not trust his own board. Unless someone can show me that his old mother and blind sister were being held at gunpoint by some thugs, the coercion element just does not fly. Firstly, bets in the illegal market are available pretty much on every aspect of the game. Majeed is no fool to just give away a huge amount like 150,000 pounds for nothing. But even if we were to assume that this was an inconsequential 'test run', all indications are that actual betting has happened before and was being planned for the future as well. Remember NOTW was just one 'client'. God knows how many clients would Majeed and the team be dealing with. Detailed investigations should reveal that. An 18 year old is no kid. Even by the age of 14-15 most children in today's world start being aware of the rights, wrongs, and consequences. As I said it is this very 'soft corner' approach to Asif which made him into the monster he is today. Continue doing it with Amir and 5 years down the line he would have destroyed some other youngster.

[punjabi_khota]

Problem is this exact attitude in Pakistan. Rewind to the time when Asif and Akhtar were caught doping. Everyone was hell bent on making Akhtar the fall guy. The general sentiment was that Asif is young and was coaxed into things by Akhtar and so Asif should be let off leniently. Now 4 years and numerous scandals later, Asif is being made the scapegoat and Amir is being given a soft corner. If strict action is not taken against him at this point, 5 years later Amir will be sending some other newcomer on the path to destruction. Probably a life ban is too harsh, but he should be given a minimum of 5 years ban. If he is really motivated and hungry, he will train and wait out those 5 years and come back reformed having realized the importance of what he missed out on. On the other hand, if he is given a 1-2 year ban, it will have no effect except to put the careers of future Pakistani cricketers in jeopardy.

iawtp :yes:. When I said he deserves another chance, I meant no life ban.

[SachDan]

Reading posts about him being coerced and forced is laughable. There are so many avenues for him to blow the whistle - the ACU, the media, the police even if he does not trust his own board. Unless someone can show me that his old mother and blind sister were being held at gunpoint by some thugs, the coercion element just does not fly. Firstly, bets in the illegal market are available pretty much on every aspect of the game. Majeed is no fool to just give away a huge amount like 150,000 pounds for nothing. But even if we were to assume that this was an inconsequential 'test run', all indications are that actual betting has happened before and was being planned for the future as well. Remember NOTW was just one 'client'. God knows how many clients would Majeed and the team be dealing with. Detailed investigations should reveal that. An 18 year old is no kid. Even by the age of 14-15 most children in today's world start being aware of the rights, wrongs, and consequences. As I said it is this very 'soft corner' approach to Asif which made him into the monster he is today. Continue doing it with Amir and 5 years down the line he would have destroyed some other youngster.

Well said :hatsoff:

[asterix]

I've my doubts of him being only 18 years old..We are talking about a Pakistani player here..So there..

[EnterTheVoid]

Reading posts about him being coerced and forced is laughable. There are so many avenues for him to blow the whistle - the ACU, the media, the police even if he does not trust his own board. Unless someone can show me that his old mother and blind sister were being held at gunpoint by some thugs, the coercion element just does not fly. Firstly, bets in the illegal market are available pretty much on every aspect of the game. Majeed is no fool to just give away a huge amount like 150,000 pounds for nothing. But even if we were to assume that this was an inconsequential 'test run', all indications are that actual betting has happened before and was being planned for the future as well. Remember NOTW was just one 'client'. God knows how many clients would Majeed and the team be dealing with. Detailed investigations should reveal that. An 18 year old is no kid. Even by the age of 14-15 most children in today's world start being aware of the rights, wrongs, and consequences. As I said it is this very 'soft corner' approach to Asif which made him into the monster he is today. Continue doing it with Amir and 5 years down the line he would have destroyed some other youngster.

Without exaggeration, its fair to say we make mistakes at 18 we regret one - two years down the track. At this vulnerable age, he was exposed to such a poisonous environment without anyone of real integrity to guide him with the one honest cricketer ganged upon and subsequently removed by the oath taking brigade. Keeping this in mind, can we conclusively say this his actions were not a byproduct of the environment ? That aside, even if he were to complain, who could be realistically complain to ? The players, the board ? How would he know whether they were in on the scam or not ? Complain to the police in a foreign country without any direct evidence implicating the thugs to the scam ? Complain to the media who will only sensationalize everything and alienate whoever few friends he had ? With 7 out of 11 players caught in this scam, you can understand how he had the false sense of security.

[The Outsider]

Without exaggeration, its fair to say we make mistakes at 18 we regret one - two years down the track. At this vulnerable age, he was exposed to such a poisonous environment without anyone of real integrity to guide him with the one honest cricketer ganged upon and subsequently removed by the oath taking brigade. Keeping this in mind, can we conclusively say this his actions were not a byproduct of the environment ?

Yeah, and we face the consequences for those mistakes, and if we are strong willed we learn from them to become better people in the future. Why should Amir not face the consequences of those mistakes? As I said before as well, when the Asif and Akhtar doping scandal happened everyone wanted Asif to be let off leniently. Look where things have ended, hopefully for good as far as Asif is concerned. If you let Amir off, all it will signal is that just because he is a future star of Pakistan cricket, he can get away with anything and he will indulge more into these corrupt practices.

That aside, even if he were to complain, who could be realistically complain to ? The players, the board ? How would he know whether they were in on the scam or not ? Complain to the police in a foreign country without any direct evidence implicating the thugs to the scam ? Complain to the media who will only sensationalize everything and alienate whoever few friends he had ? With 7 out of 11 players caught in this scam, you can understand how he had the false sense of security.

Come on. The ACU is there in every match. And at least by the kind of statements they make they are very strict on these things and would not have needed detailed documentary evidence like the kind NOTW have from Amir to swing into action. You are just clutching straws by saying that he did not have options. He saw an option for easy money and took it. Now he has to face the consequences. A let off or even a 1-2 year old ban would frankly be a mockery of things. He has to be named, shamed, and given at least a 5 year ban. If it makes him stronger, he will come back. He will still be only 23. Not many players even debut at that age.

[EnterTheVoid]

Yeah, and we face the consequences for those mistakes, and if we are strong willed we learn from them to become better people in the future. Why should Amir not face the consequences of those mistakes? As I said before as well, when the Asif and Akhtar doping scandal happened everyone wanted Asif to be let off leniently. Look where things have ended, hopefully for good as far as Asif is concerned. If you let Amir off, all it will signal is that just because he is a future star of Pakistan cricket, he can get away with anything and he will indulge more into these corrupt practices.

How many people at the age of 18 can say they were part of a WC winning squad and were touted as the most promising bowler in world cricket ? What other 18 year old has that responsibility upon his shoulders every time he goes out bowl ? To think its could end as quickly as it started, I know ultimately the responsibility lies with him, but what an utter shame, no use crying over spilt milk as they say.

Come on. The ACU is there in every match. And at least by the kind of statements they make they are very strict on these things and would not have needed detailed documentary evidence like the kind NOTW have from Amir to swing into action. You are just clutching straws by saying that he did not have options. He saw an option for easy money and took it. Now he has to face the consequences. A let off or even a 1-2 year old ban would frankly be a mockery of things. He has to be named, shamed, and given at least a 5 year ban. If it makes him stronger, he will come back. He will still be only 23. Not many players even debut at that age.

A British newspaper, that too a tabloid nonetheless, has done more in a spate of few months than the ICC has done in 20 years. What does that say about the incompetence of the ICC ? As a Pakistani player, would you really approach the ICC when there is a general consensus that they're against you and unfairly side with the opposition. The ACU might be there given the arguments and the dysfunctional relationship between your board and the ICC (Oval Test/Lahore Attacks etc), would you trust them enough to approach them ? Realistically ?

[Asim]

Amir earns sympathy amid scandal... Mohammad Amir earns sympathy amid scandal Andrew Miller August 30, 2010 Former Pakistan captain, Ramiz Raja, and the former coach, Geoff Lawson, have both spoken out in defence of Mohammad Amir, Pakistan's 18-year-old fast bowler whose alleged involvement in the Lord's spot-fixing scandal is threatening to destroy his burgeoning career. Amir was a revelation during the recent four-Test series against England, in which he collected 19 wickets at 18.36 and proved unplayable at times in helpful swinging conditions. He picked up consecutive five-wicket hauls in the final two Tests, including a career-best 6 for 84 in England's only innings at Lord's. However, on the eve of the final day of the series, he was one of four players - along with his captain Salman Butt and fellow new-ball bowler Mohammad Asif - to be named by The News of the World in an alleged scam involving bowling no-balls to order, a situation that has led many commentators, including England's former captain, Michael Vaughan, to call for a life ban. However, Ramiz and Lawson both expressed sympathy for Amir, and believed the greater blame lay with the men who had led him astray so early in his career. "To see an 18-year old boy being dragged into the controversy is the worse part," Ramiz told Cricinfo. "He had the world, everyone was raving about the talent and praising him. It is such a sad moment in cricket. "Amir comes from a humble background," Ramiz said. "He is 18, with an impressionable mind, and if he has been keeping bad company, it's possible he could have been drawn [into wrongdoing]. But if that's the case, then the guys who got him in should be put behind bars because they've spoilt a grand career. They've infiltrated and spoilt a young mind, and it's such a shocking state of affairs." Lawson, who coached Pakistan for 15 months between July 2007 and October 2008, said: "For me, it would be a great tragedy if a young man such as Amir, a shining light of hope, has been led astray." But he also added that Pakistan's socio-economic situation needed to be taken into account before rushing in to judge the alleged actions of its cricketers. "We must remember that we are judging these guys by the standards of our own country, when their situations are vastly different," Lawson told The Age in Melbourne. "The first time I met Mohammad Amir was when he was 16, coming to an Under-19s camp. He comes from a small village near the Swat valley and was delayed by three hours because the Taliban had closed the highway. That doesn't happen in this country." "One thing that struck me about Amir was his constant smile, his zest for the game," he said. "That has not changed. I will never condone any form of fixing, but we should consider that a cricketer might not be thinking of personal gain but of getting money to buy a generator for his village because they don't have electricity. "I don't think Pakistan should be banished, we have seen it survive some incredible on and off-field turmoil," Lawson said. "But I will say that the present Pakistan administration cannot escape some of the blame for this. What they need right now is positive leadership and they don't have it. "When I was there the board did not have people with vested interests, they were business people who treated people fairly, remunerated the players well. The first-class players were looked after and paid well and it made a difference.The [current] Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt is not a leader, he should not have the job, he is incapable." http://www.cricinfo.com/england-v-pakistan-2010/content/current/story/475154.html

[Macj]

Since he was caught in England, I dont think PCB has any jurisdiction over meting out punishment. England and ICC will make sure these jokers are banned for a minimum of 5 years.

[EnterTheVoid]

Cricket family's shame: Punish him if he's guilty, say relatives of Pakistan teenage star at centre of match-fixing claims

The teenage cricket sensation at the centre of match-fixing claims deserves to be punished if he has brought shame on Pakistan, his family said yesterday. Star bowler Mohammad Aamer, whose amazing rags-to-riches rise has been compared to the Slumdog Millionaire movie, is one of four players at the centre of the scandal. As the crisis in world cricket gathered pace, there was astonishment that the Pakistan team has been allowed to continue with its British tour. Shock: Aamer's family members in the village of Changa Mera, look stunned as they explain their belief he should be punished if found guilty of aiding illegal gambling Aamer, captain Salman Butt, wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and bowler Mohammad Asif have been questioned by Scotland Yard over claims in the News of the World that they took cash from an international betting racket. All but Akmal were expected to be suspended today. The players were loudly abused as they left their hotel in London to travel to Taunton ahead of a one-day game against Somerset on Thursday. Police confiscated eggs from some onlookers, while others shouted 'thieves' at the players. In Pakistan, donkeys with the names of the shamed players stuck on their heads were pelted with rotten tomatoes and shoes. In 18-year-old Aamer's home village of Changa Mera, 40 miles from the capital Islamabad, his brother-in-law Mohammad Ashraf said the player's family had been stunned by the revelations. They have enjoyed near sainthood in Pakistan for producing a national hero in the cricket-crazy country, but he is now being portrayed as a cheat. Mr Ashraf, a property dealer, told the Daily Mail: 'If Aamer is a culprit and involved in gambling, he should be punished. 'Though he is our relative, he is also a national player and the "property" of Pakistan. If he is found guilty, he will be a national culprit and should be punished.' The prodigy, who since the age of just 15 has been identified as one of the nation's greatest cricketing figures, could face a lifetime ban. The anger in Pakistan is particularly acute because the players are alleged to have been lining their pockets while tens of thousands of their countrymen suffer in the devastating floods. The nation's most famous cricketer, Imran Khan, said: 'People are deeply upset, demoralised.' Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency - the country's highest law enforcement agency - has sent three investigators to the UK. The alleged mastermind of the betting scam - 35-year-old British tycoon Mazhar Majeed, a sports agent to several of the players - has been released on bail. With the shamed Pakistan team facing the prospect of being banished from the world game, Scotland Yard fraud detectives and tax inspectors are trying to trace the money trail. They are probing a complex network of companies set up by Majeed, who was filmed apparently accepting large piles of banknotes from undercover reporters in return for rigging games. Majeed owns a £1.8million mansion in Surrey and is listed as the director of 18 companies and former companies. Last week at the Test at Lord's, millions around the world watched as Aamer and fellow bowler Asif delivered three 'no balls' - at exactly the stages of the match Majeed specified to reporters. There were also claims that all the matches in the Test series against England had been tainted by fixing. The tragedy is that if Aamer did deliberately bowl 'no balls' to satisfy a betting syndicate, the poverty-stricken young man with a glittering future has almost certainly been destroyed by the dark forces of the game. Corruption is rife in Pakistani cricket and young players come under intense pressures from bent figures in management and shady agents. 'I have a horrid feeling Mrs Frobisher has been got at by an Asian betting syndicate...' Aamer's family face questions over whether his allegedly ill-gotten gains helped fund their move from a tiny village house with four rooms between 12 people into a townhouse. Pakistan's cricketers are not well paid, and there will be speculation the house was either a gift from their son or possibly even from an agent. But Mr Ashraf said: 'The media is saying that Mohammad Aamer was involved in gambling and this house is from the money he earned illegally. That is wrong. The house cost 8.5million rupees (£65,000), and we still owe 5million rupees to a property dealer.' Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1307555/Cricket-familys-shame-Punish-hes-guilty-say-Pakistan-stars-relatives.html#ixzz0y91pXFTV --------

[beetle]

Problem is this exact attitude in Pakistan. Rewind to the time when Asif and Akhtar were caught doping. Everyone was hell bent on making Akhtar the fall guy. The general sentiment was that Asif is young and was coaxed into things by Akhtar and so Asif should be let off leniently. Now 4 years and numerous scandals later, Asif is being made the scapegoat and Amir is being given a soft corner. If strict action is not taken against him at this point, 5 years later Amir will be sending some other newcomer on the path to destruction. Probably a life ban is too harsh, but he should be given a minimum of 5 years ban. If he is really motivated and hungry, he will train and wait out those 5 years and come back reformed having realized the importance of what he missed out on. On the other hand, if he is given a 1-2 year ban, it will have no effect except to put the careers of future Pakistani cricketers in jeopardy.

That is the reason that country is such a mess....every thing is acceptable and excusable as long as the person is a pakistani and more importantly a Bro.

[vvvslaxman]

If he had played in subcontinent and got thrashed all over he would not have got sympathy. HE struggled big time in Srilanka.

[ZodiaC]

If he had played in subcontinent and got thrashed all over he would not have got sympathy. HE struggled big time in Srilanka.

He bowled reasonably well for a débutante, plus the dropped catches by Kakmal & co. (we know why now :giggle:)

[EnterTheVoid]

The bigger question is, does he deserve that sympathy ?

[IKnowU]

The bigger question is' date=' does he deserve that sympathy ?[/quote'] Depends on the extent he was involved......im hoping he is not stuck in the middle of this fiasco and he only aided butt to get his money and thats it. cuz he got freaken 6 wickets that innings where he bowled the no-balls:omg:

[Karan114]

I can't give a **** after seeing the attitude of his compatriots - Sachin only doesn't fix games because he is so rich and what not. **** Amir and **** his whole country's culture of defending their serially cheating, corrupt players.

[saneindian]

Yeah Forgive him so that when he is back in the team he can ensure the assembly line of greedy young cricketers is always available for the bookies. Anyone who is a cheat doesnt deserve any sympathy.

[EnterTheVoid]

exactly' date=' I don't think so, [b']cheating should never go unpunished.

Jadeja was found guilty, but now makes a living as a cricket commentator Prabhakar was found guilty, but he went on to coach the Delhi (bowling) and Rajasthan (head coach) cricket teams. Were they ever TRULY punished or were their punishments merely cosmetic ?

[dial_100]

The reason why I dont want to sympathize with Ameer as well because just now I heard some Pak media justifying it on the lines that when strong team like india was also involved in ball tampering then they used their position in this matter rather than acccepting the allegations. This was a cheap shot. They can certainly name Azhar and Prabhakar...but bringing Sachin in this contravercy to justify the wrong doings of these morons shows how they look at it. Shame on you. Until now i was also feeling bad Ameer. But if they think SRT was involved in ball tampering then I have no sympathy at all for anyone.. They just cant make out the difference. Too sad.

[jf1gp_1]

nonsense same reasons were given when asif was first caught humble background, naive etc didnt reform him, amir will be no different