Disgraced Pakistan opener Salman Butt, who was banned for 10 years for spot-fixing by an ICC Anti-Corruption tribunal on 5 February, 2011, has said he will challenge every charge levelled against him in higher courts to prove his innocence.
“I have nothing to hide or run away from. I am going to challenge every charge to prove my innocence even in the London court,” said the former Test captain.
Butt said that he has no intention of running away from the criminal charges set against him by the Crown Prosecution Service of Britain. The 26-year-old confirmed that he will go to London in March where he, along with other two suspended players, has been summoned by the CPS on 17 March to face corruption charges levelled against him by the London Police.
“I don't agree with the sanctions imposed by the International Cricket Council in Doha,” said Butt. “And I will also be going to London to challenge the case made against me by Scotland Yard in the Crown Prosecutor's office.”
Butt, Asif and Amir were banned by the International Cricket Council for 10, 7 and 5 years respectively. The punishment will be effective from 2 September, 2010- the day when the trio was provisionally suspended by the apex body following spot-fixing allegations set against them by a British tabloid, News of the World. The sanctions against Asif and Butt include two and five suspended years respectively which would be waived off if the duo commits no further breach of the code.
The CPS had charged the trio with conspiracy of defrauding English bookmakers as well as obtaining and accepting illegal money.
The left-handed opener dispelled the thoughts that his cricket career is over and said that he will make a return even if he has to serve out the entire length of the ban. “I will still have four to five years of cricket left in me,” opined the disgraced captain.
He was hopeful his ban would be waived off to some extent even if not completely. Butt admitted that it would be quite tough for him to make a comeback to the fast-paced game after five years but a few successful names of contemporary cricket playing at an age above 35 give him hopes of a successful return to the international arena.
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