da bwin： Former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga has called for the InternationalCricket Council (ICC) to take firm action against Shane Warne as the worldwaits to hear the outcome to the biggest drugs scandal in cricket history
Charlie Austin21-Feb-2003Former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga has called for the InternationalCricket Council (ICC) to take firm action against Shane Warne as the worldwaits to hear the outcome to the biggest drugs scandal in cricket history.Ranatunga, famously outspoken during his playing career and now as atelevision commentator and politician, warned the world’s governing body(ICC) that the Asian world would be watching carefully what action would betaken against Warne."What interests me more is how the ICC will treat the case,” Ranatunga isquoted as saying by the Times News Network. “If Warne was an Asian he wouldhave been buried for sure by now. Whenever an Australian or a white guy doesa crime, he is found to be innocent… This one will be tough for the ICCbecause he’s an Aussie."Warne left the World Cup in apparent disgrace after drug samples revealedthat he had consumed a banned diuretic normally used to aid fluid loss or asa masking agent for performance enhancing drugs.The spin legend, who claims he popped a single pill on the advice of hismother Bridgette, apparently to improve his appearance for a pressconference, will discover his fate on Saturday morning when an ACBAnti-Doping committee announce their decision after an eight-hour hearing onFriday.Warne faces a maximum two years ban if found guilty although he could bereprieved under “exceptional circumstances” according to a clause in the ACB’s anti-doping policy. A two-year ban would almost certainly end the careerof the 33-year-old spinner.Ranatunga, a longtime foe of Warne ever since the leg-spinner claimed thatthe game would be better off without him prior to the 1999 World Cup,apparently believes that authorities have protected Warne, suggesting acover-up over his role in the match-fixing scandal."It’s ridiculous to say that a bookie paid Warne thousands of dollars for aweather report or some information on the wicket,” said Ranatunga. “Thenewspapers have the weather report every day and why should a bookie payWarne dollars for pitch information.”The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) warned Warne after it had emerged that hehad accepted cash for pitch and weather information from an Indian bookmakerduring Australia’s 1994 tour of Sri Lanka”In Sri Lanka, he just has to stuff a grand into the curators pocket and hewill tell you what he has done with the wicket in the whole of last week,"added Ranatunga scornfully.