Result of the hearing held concerning the charging of Mohammad Akram under clauses 2 & 4 of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Code of Conduct.

ICC Match Referee John Reid received a report from on-field umpire Darrell Hair that Mohammad Akram lowered his shoulder and made avoidable contact with Shane Warne during the third day of the third Ansett Australia Test match between Australia and Pakistan on Saturday.

As a result of the above, Mohammad Akram was charged under clauses 2 and 4 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which are:

2. Players and/or Team Officials shall at no time engage in conduct unbecoming to their status which could bring them or the game into disrepute.

4. Players and/or Team Officials shall not verbally abuse, assault, intimidate or attempt to assault or intimidate any umpire, spectator, Referee, Player or Team Official.

After studying video evidence of the incident at the hearing, Mr Reid believed the contact to have been intentional and, more importantly, avoidable. He also noted that no apology was made to Shane Warne at the time.

Mohammad Akram admitted he was guilty as charged and as umpire Hair is directed under both the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) and ICC regulations not to allow avoidable bodily contact, the action was deemed to have been unacceptable.

At the hearing Mohammad Akram immediately apologised and showed a sense of remorse for his actions. He claimed it was a heat of the moment incident and promised that it would not happen again.

Mr Reid's decision was to give the player a severe reprimand.

John Reid ICC Match Referee 27 November 1999

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