Match-fixing claims first victims -- Azhar, Jadeja among 5 banned

Match-fixing claims first victims -- Azhar, Jadeja among 5 banned
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

NEW DELHI, NOV 3: The match-fixing scandal today claimed its first victims when the cricket board slapped a ban on Mohd Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja and three others playing in international and domestic cricket in the wake of CBI naming them in its report on fixing and betting allegations even as the players faced threats of life ban and withdrawal of Arjuna awards given to them.

Before going into a meeting with Sports Minister S S Dhindsa, BCCI President A C Muthiah announced that a decision has been taken to ban the players, including Manoj Prabhakar, Nayan Mongia and Ajay Sharma, in view of an internal inquiry ordered into CBI's findings and pending a decision by the Board's working committee. The inquiry is being done by former CBI joint director and the Board's vigilance commissioner.

Asserting that the Board would spare no efforts in taking action to curb such malpractices, he said the players cannot play for their respective states pending the inquiry.

After the meeting with the Minister, Muthiah told reporters the inquiry committee would submit its report to the Board's Disciplinary Committee which would recommend any penal action to be taken against the guilty.``All this will be through within 15 days''.

Replying to questions, he said the maximum penalty the Board could impose on the erring players was life ban. He said the Code of Conduct provided for even erasing of the records of the tainted players.

On his part, Dhindsa said, ``We will consider taking back the Arjuna Awards only after BCCI gives us its detailed response on the role of the players mentioned in the CBI report after conducting its internal inquiry.''

Expressing happiness over the ``prompt'' action of the Board against the players, the Minister said Muthiah assured him that the BCCI would submit its response to the Sports Ministry on each and every aspect of the report, including its adverse remarks against the Board.