LAHORE: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has categorically denied that suspended fast bowler Mohammad Aamir has been allowed to play domestic cricket by the game’s world governing body.

Speaking to Dawn from Dubai, a spokesman of the ICC confirmed that the ICC Board had already constituted a four-man committee during the ICC annual conference week last month, on the request of the Pakistan Cricket Board interim committee chairman Najam Sethi, but clarified that any decision regarding Aamir’s five-year ban would only be made by the ICC Board.

“Any decision to give any sort of relaxation to Mohammad Aamir will only be made by the ICC Board. The four-man committee comprising Giles Clarke, Wally Edwards, Imran Khawaja and Keith Oliver will present its recommendations to the ICC Board, which will review these before making its decision. Until such time, Aamir will remain suspended from all cricket activities,” the spokesman said.

“Any reports that the ICC has allowed Aamir to play domestic cricket or club cricket or use PCB facilities are incorrect,” the spokesman added.

Aamir, along with his then skipper Salman Butt and another pacer Mohammad Asif, was banned for five years by an independent anti-corruption tribunal of Michael Beloff in 2011 after he was found guilty of spot-fixing during the Lord’s Test in August 2010.

While Salman and Asif appealed against the bans, Aamir admitted his guilt, attended rehabilitation programmes and also cooperated with the ICC with its investigations. On Aamir’s attitude, the PCB wants his five-year ban should be ended in three years.

During last month’s ICC conference, Sethi had pleaded Aamir’s case and had requested the ICC Board to reduce his penalty. Upon Sethi’s request, a committee was constituted to look into the ICC Anti-Corruption Code, as well as Aamir’s case and make recommendations.

While the next ICC Board meeting is scheduled in October, it is not necessary that a decision on Aamir will be made in that meeting.

“It will be premature to comment when the recommendations will be presented and when the ICC Board will make its decisions,” the ICC spokesman remarked.

On Salman Butt, the ICC spokesman said the former Pakistan captain was yet to contact the ICC.

“We have seen media reports in which he has accepted his involvement in spot-fixing and has apologised, but till this date, he has not contacted the ICC or its ACSU.

“Salman has to come out clean, share information and help the ACSU in its investigations,” he concluded.