Hair confirms legal action against ICC and PCB by Cricket Archive Staff Reporter

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Player:

DB Hair, BR Doctrove, Inzamam-ul-Haq

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DateLine: 9th February 2007

 

Australian umpire Darrell Hair on Wednesday confirmed he had started legal proceedings against the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for alleged racial discrimination.

 

"I can confirm that I have instructed my lawyers, Finers Stephens Innocent, London, to issue an application in the London Central Employment Tribunal alleging racial discrimination by the ICC and PCB," said Hair at a news conference here. It is inappropriate for me to make further comment given that this matter is yet to be determined by the tribunal," added Hair, who has been umpiring the ICC World Cricket League Division one tournament for associate members here. It was his first major task since being removed from the Elite Panel of ICC umpires following the ball-tampering scandal in England. Hair, who stood in the final match between Kenya and Scotland on Wednesday, said that despite the setback he still enjoyed his work and it was up to the ICC to decide if he will continue umpiring. "I have just umpired a cricket match today, with all the participants, which was the ultimate. The World Cricket League is something that the ICC have really work on," added the controversial Hair. "I think it's a shame that other things have to overshadow that. It looks like they have - I wish everyone was reporting on the cricket and not this. I am here today working for the ICC. I was invited to come to Kenya and officiate in the tournament. It was a pleasure to come because I have been involved with the associate cricket since 1995. I enjoyed this cricket and I know the cricketers enjoyed having top umpires here and I was really glad to be able to do it." Though Hair's contract as a top official is until 2008, he is now only allowed to officiate in matches between non-Test nations. He believes he is being wrongfully targeted following the ball-tampering row during the forfeited Oval Test last August between England and Pakistan. However, Billy Doctrove, who was also involved in the same match, has already returned to his umpiring duties. PCB chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf claimed he was aghast when told of what Hair intended to do by his lawayer. "This is adding insult to injury. Race has nothing to do with this," Ashraf told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "Mr Hair was removed from the elite panel of umpires by the full ICC board, which has many countries, because of his poor judgement. This is the most preposterous thing I have heard. This is another manifestation of Mr Hair's mental status." Hair believes the PCB was involved in inducing the ICC in action which could be described as discrimination when the Pakistan cricketing authorities urged for his suspension on the run-up to a meeting in November. Officials at the ICC however had already stated, prior to that November meeting, they were hopeful Hair would be back in action on their elite umpire panel. In the aftermath of The Oval affair, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Pakistan's captain, was cleared of ball-tampering but given a four-match ban for bringing the game into disrepute. Hair then offered his resignation in exchange for 500,000 dollars, before he was removed from the ICC's elite panel of umpires.