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[Manormanic]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakistan/content/current/story/603662.html

What self serving tosh - they should have been banned for life, and have no right to expect any kind of leniency (especially since they'll probably just do it again!)

[Red Ink Cricket]

ive met and spoken to asif and he does seem a genuine guy. not justifying what he did.

butt on the other hand is going on about loving the game and it being everything to him, why did he cheat in the first place then. i guess under certain pressures and some of the dark stories you hear about threats etc you could maybe understand why you would do something but at the end of the day they cheated and should be punished for it

[Manormanic]

Quite agree - I can just about make a case for some leniancy as regards Amir, who was barely more than a kid at the time, but these two are nothing more than a disgrace to the game!

[jamielsn15]

Provided sentences justify the crime, make them serve the full penalty, without exception.  If/when (their sentence allows) them to come back, they should be able to - and live with the stigma for the rest of their lives.  I'm all for punishment fitting the crime but in a civilised society, rehabilitation and the opportunity to put right your wrongs should be allowed.

I'm appalled and disgusted by what they've done to the game we love, but as Michael Johnson said re; cheating and doping in sport; if the punishments fit the crimes and are significant, you're not having the conversation about whether they come back.

Ban them all for 10 years mandatory for first-time offences - in any sport - and it's effectively career over (even for Amir, who would spend 10 years out of ANY cricket, could he come back at 28?).  That is not the ultimate deterrent, but it's a very significant one. Butt and Asif's careers would be finished and Amir would find it very difficult to come back and most likely couldn't.

It also takes away appeals like this one.  If the law is applied throughout sport re; fixing, doping it's there for all to see and abide by.  It's the leniency of the current sanctions that is a big issue.  How Olympians can test positive then be available for the next Olympics amazes me.  Miss the next two and it's potentially a different story...

[yvk3103]

A couple of years back there was a Pak wicket keeper who fled from an on-going series in the UAE to the UK (and applied for asylum) as he claimed he was being threatened to cheat / fix for money.  (Sorry cant recall his name)

In light of what Asif & Butt claim, I feel this Pak WK did a very courageous thing even though it ended his cricketing career in Pak.

If these guys did this under threat to themselves or their families then they should have done something similar. Maybe this would have helped cricket as these guys were bigger names than the new kid on the block.

There should be zero tolerance in such cases.

[yvk3103]

Got the name - Zulqarnain Haider

[Wedge2408]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakistan/content/current/story/603662.html

What self serving tosh - they should have been banned for life, and have no right to expect any kind of leniency (especially since they'll probably just do it again!)

Totally agree. If the punishment is to be a deterrent to future offenders these guys can't be let off.

[ppccopener]

mohammed amir rightly has the chance to rehabilitate himself and pakistan cricket.
butt and asif are older and knew exactly how to manipulate the system
Butt was even slimy enough to blame Amir(an 18 year old) in court when it looked like the case was going against him.

we all make mistakes at 18/19-you serve your time and have the chance to out right the wrong.Butt is the ringleader here and blaming a kid who listened and did everything his captain asked him is beyond disgusting.

I hope Amir comes back and becomes a role model for all those kids in Pakistan.
Ive grown up watching and admiring great Pakistani players-they need to be in the system of world cricket.
God help us if the cricket world is ever split-we can all learn from each other's cultures on the field and off it

[justnotcricket86]

Got the name - Zulqarnain Haider

He was quite handy, decent bat and could catch, which has been a problem with Pakistan keepers since Moin Khan put his feet up

[Manormanic]

Stuart Broad did not like him from what I can remember, which is as good a character reference as any...

[jamielsn15]

All fair points, but ignorance isn't an excuse in a court of law - Amir could have spoken up at any time, age shouldn't be a contributing factor.

If found guilty, blanket bans are the way forward, in my humble opinion.  let's make it as easy to understand as possible.  If you're found guilty, on any level, XX years is your ban from all sport.

[tushar sehgal]

All fair points, but ignorance isn't an excuse in a court of law - Amir could have spoken up at any time, age shouldn't be a contributing factor.

If found guilty, blanket bans are the way forward, in my humble opinion.  let's make it as easy to understand as possible.  If you're found guilty, on any level, XX years is your ban from all sport.

I agree, also on Haider's point what good did it do him to flee. Look at the guy now, prolly got no future in cricket in Pakistan. If he was somewhere else he would have been a hero but in countries like Pak and Ind he is a discard/troublemaker etc.

[Cover_Drive]

Its sad to say but Haider has psychology problems.

[Manormanic]

All fair points, but ignorance isn't an excuse in a court of law - Amir could have spoken up at any time, age shouldn't be a contributing factor.

No, but coercion/bullying probably counts as a mitigating factor...

[Manormanic]

Its sad to say but Haider has psychology problems.

well, it is quite a hard degree...