ICC Response to BCCI Disciplinary Decisions

The ICC today responded to the decisions reached by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to impose life bans on cricketers Mohammed Azharuddin and Ajay Sharma and five year suspensions on Ajay Jadeja, Manoj Prabhakar and former team physiotherapist Ali Irani.

Commenting on the news, ICC Chief Executive David Richards said "The BCCI should be commended for acting in the best interests of cricket in reaching these decisions. Of course it is disappointing that the careers of these prominent players should end in this way, but hopefully others will learn from their example.

"From an ICC perspective it has been made abundantly clear that corruption will not be tolerated and has no place in the game of cricket. Wrong doers will be identified and punished, not just to ensure that justice is seen to be done, but also to send a strong deterrent to anyone considering corrupt practices in future."