ICC hearing is a farce: Abdul Qadir

Former Pakistan leg-spinner Abdul Qadir, has called for the International Cricket Council to deal evenly with its member boards as he felt that the parent body was being biased towards PCB.

The former chief selector was reacting to the announcement by Micheal Beloff who heads the ICC code of conduct commission that the provisional suspensions on Pakistani cricketers, Salman Butt, Muhammad Aamir and Muhammad Asif would remain until a full hearing by an independent tribunal.

Butt and Aamir appeared before Beloff with their lawyers in Dubai on Saturday and Sunday for their appeals hearing which were rejected.

Asif had earlier withdrawn his appeal against the suspensions imposed by the ICC. Qadir said he was surprised by the ICC tribunal decision to not allow the players to resume their cricket career.

"It is total farce. If the ICC wasn't interested in revoking the suspensions, why go through this farce at all?" he questioned.

Qadir lashed out at the ICC for its double standards pointing out that Indian batsman, Suresh Raina was also suspected of having links with a woman who was working for a bookmaker during the tour to Sri Lanka.

"The Sri Lankan board even sent a report to the Indians about it but nothing has been done so far and the matter was hushed up by the ICC and Raina continues to play," Qadir said.

"As things stand there is suspicion about Raina's links with the woman and the same is the case with our players against whom nothing has been proven yet they remain suspended and the Indian batsman is free to play on," the former leggie said.

"I say bring Raina also into the dock," he added. He lamented that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had failed completely in protecting its players and providing them support.

"If the PCB had been pro-active from the start we would not have reached such a stage where we have lost the services of two of our best bowlers and our test captain and opener," he said.

The legal advisor of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Tafazzul Rizvi said the hearing was held under the ICC anti-corruption laws and the players could now only appeal when a full hearing was held by the ICC code of conduct commission.

"This hearing was called by the ICC to give the players a chance to appeal against the suspensions on them. But the case of full spot fixing allegations would be dealt with when the full hearing is held," he said.

Rizvi said even if the players were found guilty at the full hearing of the ICC code of conduct commission they had the right to appeal with the court of arbitration for sports in Lausanne.

He also made it clear that the PCB could not do anything in this issue as it was a full member of the ICC and had to adhere to its laws.

"The players now have to continue to challenge this suspension and allegations independently through their lawyers, we can't go against the ICC," Rizvi said.

Pakistan pace bowler, Asif when contacted declined to comment on the hearing outcome insisting that only his lawyer was not authorized to speak on the matter.

"I have said before we are preparing for the full hearing when it is held by the ICC," he stated.