NEW DELHI: Finally acting on a directive from the the Supreme Court that was issued on March 15 this year, BCCI Ombudsman Justice (retired) DK Jain, in an order passed on August 7, has reduced the life ban imposed on cricketer S Sreesanth for alleged spot fixing to seven years.
“… I am of the view that banning Mr. Sreesanth from participating in any kind of commercial Cricket or from associating with any activities of the BCCI or its affiliates, for a period of seven years with effect from 13.09.2013, i.e. the date from which, the period of ban imposed by the Disciplinary Committee had commenced, will meet the ends of justice,” Jain said in the order.
“…for Mr Sreesanth, who is now in his late thirties, his prime years as a cricketer, particularly as a fast bowler may already be over,” Jain reasoned in his order accessed by PTI.
The BCCI disciplinary committee had banned Sreesanth, who is now 36, for life in August 2013 along with his Rajasthan Royals teammates Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan, charging the trio of having indulged in spot-fixing in the IPL of that year.
On March 15 this year, the Supreme Court set aside the BCCI disciplinary committee’s order.
In April this year, a Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and KM Joseph said that Jain would reconsider, within three months, the quantum of punishment for Sreesanth for his alleged involvement in the spot-fixing episode.
Sreesanth has all along maintained that the allegations against him were false.
The Kerala speedster played for India in 27 Tests, 53 ODIs and 10 T20 Internationals, claiming 169 wickets in all. He last represented the country in 2011.
