Hair is banned from internationals

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MUMBAI, India -- Australian umpire Darrell Hair has been barred from umpiring any international matches by the International Cricket Council, their president Percy Sonn said in Mumbai on Saturday.

"He shall not be appointed to officiate in any international games until the end of his contract," Sonn told a news conference at the end of a two-day ICC meeting.

"I am afraid we have lost confidence in Hair," ICC president Percy Sonn told reporters.

"We have given instructions to our management to discuss Hair's future with him."

Hair's elite umpires' panel contract is due to expire in March, 2008.

ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said Hair was told of the decision on Friday.

"I spoke to Darrell yesterday after that decision was made...he was very disappointed," said Speed.

"David Richardson (ICC general manager-cricket) and myself will speak to Darrell in the next couple of days when he's had a chance to think about what this means for him."

Pakistan blamed Hair when they forfeited the fourth test against England last August after they were penalized for alleged ball tampering by Hair and fellow umpire Billy Doctrove.

The Pakistan team refused to take the field after tea on the fourth day of the fourth test after Hair and fellow umpire Billy Doctrove penalized them five runs and changed the ball.

Hair and Doctrove then decided Pakistan had forfeited the test. It was the first forfeiture in the history of test cricket.

An ICC inquiry cleared captain Inzamam-ul-Haq of ball tampering on September 28 although it banned him for four one-day internationals for bringing the game into disrepute.

The ICC also said Hair would not officiate in the Champions Trophy which concludes in India on Sunday for "safety and security" reasons.

Hair had already been embroiled in further controversy when the ICC revealed that he had offered to retire in exchange for $500,000 and the Pakistan Cricket Board made it clear it did not want him involved in any more of its games.

After hearing the verdict Pakistan captain Inzamam said he nurtured no grudge against Hair.

"I had already forgiven Hair. It is the ICC's decision and I will not say much on it," said Inzamam.

Former Pakistan Cricket Board director Abbas Zaidi said Hair's removal had vindicated Inzamam and the PCB.

"Since we were involved in the standoff it vindicates whatever we believed and advocated. We thank the British media and all the Asian cricket boards, especially India, for the support in the Hair issue," Zaidi said.

Former captain Javed Miandad said the ICC had set an example for other umpires.

"By removing Hair from the elite panel, the ICC has set an example and in future all other umpires will be under pressure to take the right decisions," said Miandad, who had criticized Pakistan's protest in the Oval Test.

"ICC has upheld the game's esteem and its own esteem," remarked Miandad.

Another former captain, Rashid Latif, said Hair should have been forgiven.

"Hair has suffered enough so I thought he would be forgiven because Inzamam had forgiven him," said Latif.

"I think Hair had stigmatized his reputation by demanding compensation and it spoiled his case," said Latif, referring to Hair's demand for $ 500,000 for an early retirement soon after the Oval incident.

Accountability

Former Pakistan umpire Mahboob Shah said Hair's sacking proved the ICC had a process of accountability.

"People criticized the ICC for not holding the umpires accountable but this has been proved wrong," said Shah, who officiated in the final of the 1987 World Cup in India.

The news of Hair's sacking as an international official was not welcomed by Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who said he was surprised and disappointed.

Ponting, named on Friday as the ICC's Player of the Year, defended the English-based umpire, saying he simply stood up for what he thought was right.

Speaking to Australian reporters in Mumbai ahead of Sunday's Champions Trophy final against defending champion West Indies, Ponting said: "He's obviously done lots of good things right over a long period of time."

Ponting said he did not feel Hair had been "trying to make a name for himself" by taking a firm stand against Pakistan.

"He's done what he believed was right at the time for the good of the game. Nothing to do with himself," Ponting said.

Hair also received support from cricket's leading umpire Simon Taufel.

Australian Taufel, who won his third successive ICC Umpire of the Year Award in Mumbai on Friday, said Hair had not acted in isolation.

"It was both umpires who made those decisions on the day to award the penalty runs and to also award the match.

"It wasn't just one umpire. And those umpires actually followed the laws of playing the game.

"So I think what's really important is that umpires continue to learn, continue to be better and continue to add value to the game."

Rehman ban lifted

In a separate ruling on Sasturday, the ICC have revoked the life ban placed on Pakistan Test cricketer Ata-ur-Rehman for his involvement in match-fixing.

Rehman, 31, and former Pakistan captain Salim Malik were banned in 1999 by the Pakistan Cricket Board after an inquiry implicated them of involvement with illegal bookmakers in fixing international matches and performances.

"Rehman's application for reinstatement was accepted by the ICC's executive board today," said ICC president Sonn.

The ICC also gave hope to Zimbabwe in their attempts to regain Test status, indicating that they might be re-admitted in late 2007.

Zimbabwe must establish a credible domestic first-class structure and secure competitive cricket for their best players against high-class A sides in the next 12 months.

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Hair offered to retire shortly after the controversy erupted, asking the ICC for $500,000.

Hair is banned from internationals

Accountability

Rehman ban lifted

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