MUMBAI: Sri Lankan umpire Maurice Winston is wondering if Nadir Shah’s ten-year ban can be revoked by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), why can’t he be exonerated early when he was also banned (3 years) for the same reason in July 2013.
Speaking exclusively over telephone from Colombo, Winston, who will be 53 on Friday, says, “Nadir Shah was banned for 10 years due to a fake sting operation by a cheap TV company looking for scandals to sell their air time, I was also the victim of the similar sting operation. If his ban can be revoked (by the BCB), why not mine (by the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC)?”
“Nadir Shah’s sting operation was done in India, whereas I was only in contact (from Colombo) with a supposedly representative of a sports management company on mobile and Skype and hence could not identify their motive. They were offering me a private contract for umpiring matches which I am entitled as I was not legally contracted anywhere”.
“My case was a set up in collaboration with a few concerned Sri Lankans who wanted me out of umpiring – or else why give me three years ban, when even the report by the so called independent inquirer was contradictory and based towards SLC”.
“I was not given legal representation which is my right as per any Law in any country and as per the ICC Code. Even the SLC Code say having any Inquiry under the “Principles of Natural Justice” and when I was thinking of going to the Courts, I was sent messages by few to desist from doing so”.
“As at today – no one from SLC has contacted me with regard to any sort of rehabilitation which has to be done by the home boards”, Winston added further.
“The most salient point is that I was the reserve umpire for a T20 World Cup match, but the ICC stated that they did not have involvement in these matters and the “ICC Code is not applicable in my case. And interestingly, I was remunerated by the ICC for this match”, Maurice Winston, who will be 53 year on Friday, signed off.
