The chairman of the PCB’s independent disciplinary panel pointed to Umar Akmal’s lack of remorse and a refusal to cooperate with investigating authorities as he detailed the reasoning behind the three-year ban on the Pakistan cricketer, which will keep him out of the game – as a player and otherwise – till February 19, 2023.

Akmal was charged by the PCB on two counts of breaching its anti-corruption code ahead of this year’s PSL, and while each charge carries a three-year ban, they will run concurrently. Unlike a number of punishments in corruption investigations, there is no suspended sentence. Akmal has 14 days to appeal before the tribunal.

“It appears that he [Akmal] is not prepared to show remorse and seek apology, make admission that he failed to fulfill his responsibility under Anti-Corruption Code, Article 2.4.4, rather he tried to take refuge under the pretext that in the past whenever any such approaches were made, the matter was reported by him,” Justice (retd) Fazal-e-Miran Chauhan, the panel chairman, wrote in his full judgment of the case, released today. “As far as Charge No.1 is concerned, I do not see any circumstances to mitigate the nature of offence, particularly, when the participant (Umar Akmal) has not cooperated with the PCB Vigilance and Security Department and the investigating team.”

Akmal was initially suspended by the PCB on February 20 and subsequently charged, and then chose to forego the right to a hearing before the anti-corruption tribunal, where he could have pleaded innocence or contested the charges, saying he would wait for a sanction to be confirmed. As a result, his case went directly to the disciplinary panel.

As reported by ESPNcricinfo, in his reply to the charges to the PCB, Akmal did admit the violation, saying that he was approached by two men on separate occasions, but chose not to inform the authorities, which was a breach of the code and led to his suspension. In front of the panel too, Akmal admitted the charges, but claimed there had been no “objectionable material” to report.

Akmal explained that a first approach was at a dinner party in Lahore, when he was introduced to a stranger and after sensing the intentions of the individual, he distanced himself and left the venue. But Chauhan observed that Akmal was duty-bound to inform the anti-corruption officials immediately: “The reason given by the player is not acceptable and the explanation given in the reply are not sufficient.

“Even today when offer was made to him to accept his offence and pray for lesser punishment, the player did not avail the chance and stuck to his explanations.”

Speaking about the second approach, Akmal said that a person in Lahore had requested a favour in exchange for help in resolving an undisclosed dispute. Becoming uncomfortable, Akmal said he left the meeting but the judge, again, pointed out that he should have reported the approach. Akmal said in his reply that in the past, confidential information involving him had been “leaked to the media” without his consent.

The judge observed that Akmal “had failed to give any plausible explanation for not reporting the matter to PCB vigilance and anti-corruption department and is in breach of the rule article 2.4.4 and he would be deemed to be engaged in corrupt conduct under the anti-corruption code of PCB”.

The judgment concluded with: “The participant/player/Umar Akmal shall not play, coach or otherwise, participate or be involved in any capacity in any match or any kind of functions, event or activity (other than authorised anti-corruption education or rehablitaion program that is authorised sanctioned, recognised or supported in any way by the PCB, the ICC or other national cricket federations, or receive accreditation previously issued shall be deemed to be withdrawn.”

HOUSTON – A Pearland softball coach is charged after being accused of inappropriately touching an 11-year-old player, court records show.

Carlos Morgan, 59, is accused of having inappropriate contact with the child before and during batting lessons, officials said. Morgan was charged with indecent assault and was arrested on Thursday but has since bonded out.

According to the court documents, Morgan would pick up the girl and take her to batting cages at 5 Tool Sports Hitting & Training in Pearland.

“Quite frankly, I was flabbergasted, surprised, upset,” said facility owner Steve Jones. “Then, all of it turned to anger and disgust as you can imagine.”

Jones said Morgan frequently rented a batting cage at his facility. He said his facility is not the only location in Pearland where he trained young softball players.

“You would have never thought he would be that type of person,” Jones said.

The girl’s mother reported to police that Morgan kissed her daughter on the mouth and used his tongue on multiple occasions, per court documents. The alleged incidents happened in Morgan’s truck outside the batting cage facility.

Court records reveal the girl’s mother learned of the alleged abuse when one morning, the child was supposed to attend batting practice with Morgan and she told her mother she didn’t want to go. The mother told police she questioned the girl and that’s when she told her about the kissing.

According to court documents, Morgan would get upset if the child didn’t kiss or hug him back, bought her gifts and texted her “I love you,” and demanded a return text with the same.

When questioned by the police, Morgan admitted to kissing the chid but said he never used his tongue, per court documents. Police said he said he gave her a “peck” on the cheeks and lips.

According to court documents, Morgan also admitted to sending “I love you,” texts but not in a sexual gratifying, but as if she was his own child. He also said he bought her Christmas presents and other gifts.

One parent Kameca Coffey said she has known Morgan for almost a decade. He coached both her daughters.

She said Morgan had become more like a family member than a coach. His arrest came to her as a shock.

“I felt betrayed, I felt lied to, I felt stupid, I felt dumb. I felt… How could I put my baby in that situation? We trusted him,” she said.

Pearland Police Department spokesman Jason Wells said since the victim has spoken up, several more have come forward.

“Unfortunately, we’re talking a wide range from anywhere to nine years old to 17,” Wells said.

Wells also said investigators believe there are other victims since Morgan has coached since the early 2000s.

If you want to report any incident, call the Pearland police at 281-997-4151.

The Pearland Girls Softball Association released a statement after accusations against Morgan came to light:

“Due to recent charges filed against Carlos Morgan Sr., PGSA would like to state that although he is a batting instructor in the city of Pearland he does not use any facilities under our control and is not affiliated with PGSA,” the group wrote. “We take pride in our organization and your daughters’ safety is our first priority. PGSA requires yearly background checks and Safesport training for anyone currently involved in coaching.”

A “Survivor” contestant who was previously accused by another player of inappropriate touching was removed from the game, viewers learned during Wednesday night’s episode.

Dan Spilo became the first contestant to be kicked out of the competition without getting voted off in the CBS show’s nearly 40 seasons since its premiere in 2000.

In Wednesday’s episode, the last before the “Island of the Idols” finale, show host Jeff Probst approached the remaining contestants on their 36th day in Fiji, saying he had “to share some news.”

“So I just spoke privately with Dan, and I want to update you guys. A decision has been made, and Dan will not be returning to the game. He won’t be coming back to camp. He won’t be on the jury. He’s gone,” Probst tells the contestants, some of whom are given the chance to briefly react on camera.

“Dan was removed from the game after a report of another incident, which happened off-camera and did not involve a player,” a title card said at the end of the episode. No other information was provided, and CBS declined to comment further.

Probst also declined to provide more details in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “Out of respect for privacy and confidentiality, I can’t say anymore,” he said.

“It has been an unprecedented season,” Probst said. “Complex social issues were woven into the game in a way we have never seen before.”

The removal of Spilo comes after a previous incident last month.

In the episode then, viewers were informed that the producers had met with each contestant and issued Spilo, 49, a warning after a female contestant, Kellee Kim, 30, expressed that she was uncomfortable with Spilo’s alleged inappropriate touching.

In that episode in November, two other female contestants express to Kim that they also have felt uneasy around Spilo, but later they admitted on camera that they were either exaggerating or fabricating misconduct allegations in the name of gameplay, which ultimately led to Kim being voted off.

The two other women issued statements after the episode aired apologizing for how they handled the situation, saying that, during filming, they weren’t fully aware of the seriousness of Kim’s accusations.

Kim, an MBA student, said in a statement Wednesday night that “CBS and Survivor were on notice of Dan’s behavior for the very first days of the game.”

“And, as Survivor fans know, shortly after I spoke up on camera, I was voted off the show,” Kim wrote. “I’ve continued to feel disappointed by how this pattern of behavior was allowed for so long.”

“While I wish many things had gone differently, I’m glad that my decision to speak up made a difference. What is most important to me now is how all of us — CBS, Survivor, other organizations, and all of us as individuals — decide to learn from this story and commit to take action,” Kim added.

Following Spilo’s removal, many on social media, including some former “Survivor” contestants and TV critics, chided CBS and the show for failing to discipline him sooner and for being vague about the reason he was ultimately taken off the show.

“Predators will continue to prey until they are stopped. This predator could have and should have been stopped long ago, but those in power made a choice not to stop him. Shame on you, Survivor,” former contestant Zeke Smith wrote on Twitter.

“The evasiveness of that closing title card on ‘Survivor’ tonight requires that one have faith in the ‘Survivor’ producers and their discretion in a way that ‘Survivor’ proved this season those producers no longer deserve,” Hollywood Reporter TV critic Daniel Fienberg tweeted.

Probst told Entertainment Weekly, “We have learned a great deal and it will inform our process and protocols on how to evolve moving forward. While we still want to maintain the competitive aspect of the game, above all, we want to ensure that all players always feel safe and respected.”

A woman who answered the phone at a number listed for Spilo told NBC News: “We don’t have any comment.”

Posted

January 05, 2018 06:06:39

You become ever more sceptical about sport’s relentless cause merchants.

You reflexively gag at the thought of another themed round where a major sports organisation extols the virtues of Indigenous or women’s rights in order to justify lavish government funding or sponsorship.

You cringe at the sight of a young footballer preaching down at you from a giant screen about LGBTI rights when he plays in a league where no male player has yet felt safe coming out.

Then you find a place that is not merely selling good causes but making a significant difference. Instantly, your faith in sport’s ability to help build relationships and even entire communities is restored.

This does not happen at a big stadium before a vast audience but at the local basketball court where your kid and his friends play.

The heartening sight is dozens of Australian-African children who were initially enticed from a nearby housing commission flats to join the club.

Once we might have said these kids were being helped and even “saved” by those who entered the Australian-African community, earned their trust and quite literally delivered them to the court.

The ABC’s Australian Story last year told the tale of Mayor Chagai, a South Sudanese refugee who came to Australian aged 19 and has built the Savannah Pride Basketball Club in western Sydney.

Chagai convinced kids who once gathered for “fight nights” to instead play ball and, subsequently, a strong and vibrant club has grown — albeit one still struggling for funding.

He is just one of many community leaders from all walks of life, and in many different sports, with similar stories to tell.

People who have worked tirelessly to give Australian-African kids a sporting chance.

Similar tales of redemption are still occurring. But the cycle turns quickly.

New players becoming clubs’ lifeblood

At our club in inner-suburban Melbourne, the Australian-African players are, with their energy, enthusiasm, personality and the increasing involvement of their families, now far more than a worthy cause.

They are part of the club’s lifeblood. Just as those from other immigrant communities drawn into sport, the arts, education and every other endeavour help form the fabric of society.

The assumption is that professional sports are eager to recruit African-Australian kids to increase the stock of “first choice” athletes in a very competitive market. At the highest level this is true.

The emergence of stars and role models such as NBA draftee Thon Maker and Sydney Swans defender Aliir Aliir is obviously a potent force in encouraging children to play. There are more such stars in the making.

But at the grassroots where thousands of kids will participate without reaching the top, an even greater benefit comes from what community sport does best — bringing people together to pursue a common goal.

Kids playing, parents arguing about who was rostered to score or collect the subs. Smashing down barriers and forming firm friendships.

Gangs debate results in battle lines drawn

Yet the task of those of who have worked hardest to use sport as a means of integrating Australian-African children into our clubs and communities has been made more difficult.

The increasingly sensational stories of “African gangs” in Melbourne have obvious social and political overtones.

Battle lines have been drawn between those who claim these “gangs” present a significant danger to public safety and those who believe the Victorian state opposition is whipping up an atmosphere of fear and mistrust in the hope of being elected on a law and order agenda.

Australian-African leaders do not deny there is some problem youth crime. But they are pleading with governments and the police to take a bipartisan approach and to work with them.

They want to ensure any rogue element is correctly identified so that the entire community is not vilified and victimised.

So when Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton fanned the flames this week by claiming Melburnians were afraid to go out to restaurants at night for fear of being attacked by “African gangs”, he risked compromising the efforts of those working productively and harmoniously with Australian-African youth.

Community faces more challenges from angry rhetoric

Again, this is not to dismiss the reality that this community faces some challenges. It is a plea for those charged with finding solutions to remember the untold damage they can do with their inflammatory rhetoric.

Confronted by politically motivated stereotyping, how many people will look at one of the exemplary kids at our club and cross to the other side of the street out of ill-founded fear?

Will some parents and even coaches now harbour misgivings about African-Australian kids entering clubs?

How long before some of kids, confronted and isolated by such prejudice, start to conform to those unfounded stereotypes?

These are the issues that those doing the most to build strong communities through sport and other means must face. The mess they will have to clean up when the politicians have moved on to the next issue.

In modern times the sports pages are full of problems. Performance enhancing drugs, appalling off-field behaviour and even trivialities such as drop-in cricket pitches mean our games can sometimes bring more anguish than joy.

In that context, watching a local basketball club embrace and be enhanced by a new section of the community has been enriching; a demonstration of the genuine, commercial-free power of sport.

Surely this is something for the next politician trying to score cheap points from the parliamentary free throw line to consider.

Topics:

basketball,

sport,

community-organisations,

immigration,

race-relations,

sydney-2000,

nsw,

melbourne-3000,

vic,

australia