By IANS
London : Controversial Australia umpire Darrel Hair Tuesday withdrew “unconditionally” his charge of racial discrimination against the International Cricket Council (ICC) in the wake of the last year’s ball tampering issue involving Pakistan.
Hair, who was demoted to the International Panel of Umpires by the ICC, could be back to the elite panel following a rehabilitation programme to be devised by the ICC in consultation with its umpires’ manager, the ICC said.
“Darrell Hair has withdrawn unconditionally his allegations of race discrimination against the ICC Board, its management and staff,” ICC quoted the statement that was read to the Central London Employment Tribunal Tuesday.
The world cricket body also said: “Hair has undertaken to work with ICC management over the next six months in accordance with a rehabilitation programme to be devised by the ICC in consultation with the ICC umpires’ manager.”
Hair, 55, is contracted with the ICC till March 2008, when the ICC Board will consider the results of his rehabilitation programme.
The controversy began when Hair awarded the fourth Test to England against Pakistan – the first instance of a match being awarded in 129-year history of Test cricket – in London in August last year.
Hair had charged Inzamam-ul-Haq’s team of ball tampering and awarded five penalty runs to England. In protest, the players took unusually long to come out of the dressing room after the tea interval. By the time the players reached the field, Hair had awarded the Test to England.
Pakistan, who lost that four-match Test series 0-3, vehemently denied the charge of ball tampering.
Inzamam was charged of “bringing the game into disrepute” and the team for “changing the condition of the ball”. Following an ICC enquiry, the team was exonerated of the ball tampering charges, but Inzamam was banned for four ODIs.
Reacting to hair’s decision, ICC said: “At its scheduled meeting in March 2008, the ICC Board will consider the results of the programme and will then consider whether and, if so on what terms, Hair may return to umpiring (elite panel) full member Test matches and One-day Internationals.
“In the mean time, Hair will continue to umpire in associate member matches if and when selected.”
ICC president Ray Mali was relieved the case was over.
“There has been an unconditional withdrawal of the allegations by Darrell. These allegations were serious and so we had no option but to defend them. We are pleased the issue has been resolved and we can now move on,” he said.