The International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Thursday there was no merit in Australian umpire Darrell Hair’s claim of racial discrimination on the part of cricket’s world governing body and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The sacked Australian umpire had on Wednesday filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the ICC and the PCB.
”The ICC does not believe there is merit in this claim and will vigorously defend the matter,” an ICC statement said.
Hair was sacked from the ICC’s elite panel of umpires after Pakistan complained about his role in a ball-tampering row in the forfeited Oval test against England last August.
”The ICC has noted reports that umpire Darrell Hair has instructed his lawyers to issue an application to the London Central Employment Tribunal alleging racial discrimination by the International Cricket Council and the Pakistan Cricket Board,” the statement said.
”Given the ongoing nature of proceedings, the ICC will not be making any further comment on the issue at this stage,” it added. – Reuters