MUMBAI, (Reuters) – Cricket’s governing body (ICC) is unhappy that banned batsman Salman Butt has been hired as a TV pundit for the World Cup and is checking whether the Pakistani has breached the terms of his punishment.
“We are not satisfied with this appointment and we have written to (ICC) tribunal chairman Michael Beloff QC to enquire whether this could be viewed as a breach against the terms of his suspended sentence,” ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said in a statement.
Butt was banned for at least five years by an ICC anti-corruption tribunal earlier this month after being found guilty of spot-fixing elements of a test against England last year.
The former opener is also facing criminal charges of accepting bribes and fraud by the London Metropolitan Police and will appear in a London court on March 17.
The ICC statement added: “The Board, having a zero tolerance attitude towards corruption, expressed disappointment at the decision by a minor Pakistan television channel, which has no relationship with the ICC, to employ the suspended Mr Salman Butt as a studio pundit during the World Cup.”
Butt was also sacked by his employer, for whom he played domestic cricket, and had his central contract terminated by the Pakistan Cricket Board.
The former skipper, who will be working for Pakistan’s Channel 5, has denied any wrongdoing.
The ICC is trying to reduce the possibility of any corruption taking place during their showpiece event and have banned players and officials using social networking sites such as Twitter on World Cup match days.