MUMBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided that controversial Australian umpire Darrell Hair will not officiate in any more international matches.

The world cricket body also lifted the ban on Pakistan paceman Ata-ur-Rehman, seven years after punishing him for involvement in match-fixing activities. The issue of Members Participation Agreement (MPA) was also resolved with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) withdrawing the tender application for television rights.

According to ICC Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Speed and president Percy Sonn, these were the vital decisions that emerged out of the two-day Executive Board meeting in Mumbai.

"The ICC has come to the conclusion that it has lost confidence in Darrell Hair," said Mr. Sonn, in a media briefing at the Cricket Club of India's C.K. Nayudu Hall. "He shall not be officiating in any further international game," added Mr. Speed. With this, the curtain has come down on the career of this Australian umpire who pulled up Pakistan for ball-tampering in the Oval Test against England.

Response to the PCB

The verdict on Hair came in response to a charge laid by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) under the ICC Code of Conduct, asking for the umpire's head in view of his role in the Oval Test ball-tampering allegation against its bowlers. Pakistan was forced to forfeit the Test for refusing to play in protest. The status of Billy Doctrove, the umpire at the other end, remains unchanged, with the topic of his role not coming up for discussion, according to Mr. Speed, who clarified that there would be no review of the Oval Test outcome in the aftermath of Hair's censure and, by implication, omission from the ICC Elite Umpires panel.

Mr. Sonn, evading questions about the Executive Committee deliberations and the voting pattern on the Hair issue, informed that Dave Richardson, ICC General Manager (Cricket) and Mr. Speed, had been deputed to discuss the umpire's future with him. The ICC president refused to comment on the query of whether Hair's reported `retirement for cash' approach to the world body had led to the decisive action.

The Australian umpire's contract runs till March 2008.

"We owe Hair this respect and courtesy of discussing the future with him," he said.

Both ICC administrators ruled out any change in the Oval Test result, though England Cricket Board's compensation claim from the PCB due to cancellation of the last day's play remains to be addressed.

Ban lifted

Mr. Speed confirmed that the life ban imposed on Ata-ur-Rehman in 2000 had been lifted, in response to the Pakistani's appeal citing a desire to play league cricket in England. "Ata-ur-Rehman had applied to the ICC Code of Conduct Commission, instituted in 2003. A special inquiry was conducted on the focus of penalty aspect. The ban has been lifted, effective from May 2007 onwards," said the CEO, revealing that former Aussie Test great Richie Benaud was one of the inquiry committee members.

Mohammed Azharuddin, has not made any application to the ICC against the life ban on him, informed Mr. Speed, stating that the world body would apply the same rules in case an appeal on his behalf was received in future. Azharuddin is serving a life ban imposed on him by the BCCI, after its inquiry into match-fixing allegations. Azharuddin, incidentally, is one of the former Indian captains being felicitated by the BCCI at a function in Mumbai, opening doors for his rehabilitation in future.

A surprise

A surprise came in the form of Mr. Sonn's announcement that all outstanding issues relating to signing of the MPA had been resolved. "All fears and concern expressed by BCCI have been allayed. Everyone (member nations) is on board and we move forward."

The ICC president directed all queries on the Indian Board's perceived change of stand on the issue and decision to withdraw tender for bidding TV rights towards president Sharad Pawar.

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