LAHORE – Having apparently learnt a lesson from the spot-fixing scandal that rocked Pakistan cricket, the PCB on Wednesday issued tough guidelines for players’ agents, requiring them clearance at multiple levels if they want to represent cricketers.
The new Agents Regulations 2010 will be immediately applicable to all persons wishing to act as agent (s) for the cricketers who have or are representing Pakistan at all levels or who participate in cricket matches/tournament organised by the PCB.
“The new regulations are also binding on those cricketers utilising services of such agent (s),” a PCB official said.
He added that from now on players cannot work with any agent who is not registered with the board under the new registration guidelines. The move came after three Pakistani players were involved in a spot-fixing scandal in a Test at Lord’s last year after British tabloid News of the World video-taped bookie Mazhar Majeed giving details of his arrangement with the trio. Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were later banned by an anti-corruption tribunal of the ICC. Mazhar Majeed and his brother Azhar not only represented the banned trio but several other players for the last few years.
The clearances include police clearance of the area/country the agent resides, clearance from the cricket board of the country in which the agent is residing and clearance from the Pakistan High Commission in the country where the agent resides.
Mazhar has resided in London for the last many years while other agents who also work for Pakistani players mainly reside in the United Kingdom or in the emirate states.
The agents will now also have to submit a non-refundable processing fee of 200,000 rupees to the PCB which has the discretion of rejecting or accepting any application although the agent has been given the right to appeal to the Chairman of the Board.
The criteria set for an agent to qualify for registration have also been made stiff and include clauses that he is of good character and reputation in PCB’s opinion, he does not have any conviction for any offence involving dishonesty or deception or moral turpitude in Pakistan or the country where he permanent or temporarily resides and that he is not an undischarged bankrupt or otherwise subject to bankruptcy proceedings in Pakistan or the country where he permanent or temporarily resides.
