Steve Waugh hopes spot-fixing verdict will stamp out corruption from cricket

Abu Dhabi, Feb 8(ANI): Former Australian captain Steve Waugh hopes that the ban imposed on three Pakistan cricketers over spot-fixing charges would stamp out corruption from international cricket.

"It sinks into the players that this is serious now. If they are involved or are contemplating it, you're really risking your reputation, you're selling your country out," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Waugh, as saying.

"There's so much stuff that's bad about what they're doing, let's hope they take notice of what's happened," he added.

The 45-year-old further believes that the decision showed that the International Cricket Council (ICC) was truly committed to fighting against the menace.

"There's a big issue out there and it's got to be tackled. Someone had to take a step," Waugh said.

The independent tribunal, chaired by Michael Beloff, found former Pakistan captain Salman Butt, and fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir guilty of charges relating to spot-fixing in the Lord's Test match between England and Pakistan played in August last year.

In addition, Butt was also found guilty of breaching the ICC anti-corruption code by failing to report an approach made to him by British-based bookmaker Mazhar Majeed to engage in corrupt activity during The Oval Test match earlier in the same month.

Butt was given a 10-year ban from any involvement in cricketing activities, five years of which were suspended on condition that, throughout that period, he commits no further breach of the code and that he participates, under the auspices of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), in a programme of anti-corruption education.

Asif was given a seven-year ban from any involvement in cricketing activities, two years of which are suspended on condition that, throughout that period, he commits no further breach of the Code and he participates under the auspices of the PCB in a programme of anti-corruption education.

Amir was given a five-year ban from any involvement in cricketing activities. In all cases, the commencement of each of the bans imposed against the players will be backdated to September 2, 2010, so to give credit for the period of provisional suspension already served. (ANI)