The International Cricket Council today welcomed the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport to dismiss the appeals by disgraced Pakistani players Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif against the bans imposed on them in 2011 by the ICC on spot-fixing charges.
ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said the CAS decision "vindicated" the world body's bans on the two disgraced Pakistani players.
"The ICC notes and welcomes the decisions of the CAS as they vindicate and confirm the processes and procedures followed by the ICC over the past couple of years in respect of this important, sensitive and high-profile matter," Richardson said in an ICC statement.
"The decisions strengthen our resolve to always remain vigilant and keep the game clean at all cost, whilst continuing to educate the players about the threats and ways to combat the challenges faced by our sport."
Butt's appeal was limited to challenging the sanction only, while Asif challenged both liability and sanction. In both cases, the appeals were dismissed in their entirety.
The ICC said it will now review the detailed judgement before making any further comments.
The independent anti-corruption tribunal, chaired by Michael Beloff, QC, had found Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif guilty of charges relating to spot-fixing at the Lord's Test match between England and Pakistan in August 2010.
Butt was given a 10-year ban from any involvement in cricketing activities, five years of which were suspended. Asif was given a seven-year ban from any involvement in cricketing activities, two years of which were suspended. Amir chose not to appeal against the five-year ban imposed against him by the independent Anti-Corruption Tribunal.
The trio were found guilty at London's Southwark Crown Court in November 2011, on charges of conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments over deliberate no-balls bowled during the Lord's Test. All of them had served prison sentences in England.
