The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) issued a ruling on April 17, 2013, in the case of Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Asif against the International Cricket Council (ICC). The case centered on allegations that Asif was involved in spot-fixing during a 2010 Test match against England, specifically by deliberately bowling no-balls as part of a prearranged scheme with agent Mazhar Majeed, who acted on behalf of a fictitious betting syndicate. The CAS panel, composed of Graeme Mew, Romano Subiotto QC, and James Robert Reid QC, confirmed its authority to review both facts and law under Article R57 of the CAS Code, clarifying that such review does not violate human rights conventions when judicial oversight is available.
A key legal determination was that a violation of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code does not require financial gain by the player; the offense is established if the player is involved in fixing or improperly influencing any aspect of a match. The evidence against Asif included precise predictions of no-balls provided by Majeed to an undercover reporter, which were later delivered as planned during the match. Statistical analysis showed the likelihood of this sequence occurring naturally was extremely low (512,000 to 1). Following media exposure, the ICC charged Asif and suspended him. An ICC tribunal, chaired by Michael Beloff QC, found Asif guilty, leading to his appeal to CAS.
The CAS panel upheld the ICC tribunal's findings, emphasizing that Asif's deliberate involvement in the fix was proven regardless of personal profit. The decision reinforced the ICC's strict stance against corruption, affirming that any form of match manipulation constitutes a serious breach of integrity. Asif was banned for seven years, with two years suspended on condition of good behavior and participation in anti-corruption education. Separately, in 2011, Asif was convicted in a UK criminal court for conspiracy to accept corrupt payments and conspiracy to cheat at gambling, serving six months in prison.
Throughout the proceedings, Asif raised multiple grounds of appeal, including alleged due process violations, insufficient evidence, and claims of bias in the ICC tribunal. The CAS panel dismissed these arguments, finding no significant procedural flaws and upholding the ICC's application of the "beyond reasonable doubt" standard. The panel also rejected Asif's explanations for the no-ball, such as disrupted rhythm due to a teammate's instruction, deeming them inconsistent with video evidence and statistical data. Phone records showing critical contacts between Asif and Majeed further undermined his defense.
The CAS panel concluded that Asif's involvement in the spot-fixing scheme was clear, and his sanction was appropriate given the severity of the offense and the need for deterrence. The ruling underscored the importance of maintaining fair play in cricket and the severe consequences for those who compromise its integrity. The appeal was dismissed, and the original sanctions were confirmed, reinforcing the ICC's zero-tolerance approach to corruption in the sport.