The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced Friday that Australian umpire Darrell Hair had offered his resignation in return for a payment of 500,000 dollars.
Hair, one of two umpires officiating in the fourth Test between England and Pakistan at the Oval, awarded the home side five penalty runs because he believed the tourists had illegally tampered with the ball.
Pakistan have threatened to boycott the remainder of their tour if captain Inzamamul Haq was banned as a result of charges of ball-tampering and bringing cricket into disrepute following their forfeiture of the fourth and final Test against England at The Oval on Sunday.
Speaking at a news conference here Friday, ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said: “Hair was under great stress when he wrote these letters.
“Darrell had no dishonest, underhand or malicious intent. He was seeking a solution that was in the interests of the game.”
However Speed added that after receiving the letter he had consulted a number of lawyers independently.
Ahead of a hearing which will decide whether Inzamamul Haq is guilty of ball-tampering, he said they had all advised him to make it public.
“I have consulted independently of each other. They offered the unanimous view that the ICC was required to disclose it,” added Speed.
“The ICC is required to act without fear or favour, and to treat its members fairly.”
In his letter, which was released to the media, Hair said: “I am prepared to retire/stand down/relinquish my position on the elite panel (of umpires) to take effect from August 31, 2006.
“This payment is to be the sum of 500,000 dollars, details of which must be kept confidential by both parties. This sum is to be paid directly into my account by August 31, 2006.
“ICC may announce the retirement in any way they wish but I would prefer a simple ‘lifestyle choice’ as this was the very reason I moved from Australia to settle in the UK three years ago.
“This offer in no way precludes me taking legal action and/or instigating libel suits against various sections of the electronic and print media for comments made either previously or in the future.”
Percy Sonn, the ICC president, told the meeting: “I find myself in London following a regrettable turn of events that started last Sunday. From my point of view at least things can only get better.
“The question is what happens next? In the light of the developments, I called a meeting of the executive board. That matter will discuss this matter in detail.
“In terms of what the board has the power to do, it has wide-ranging powers, however we are currently seeking legal advice.
“We realise this makes Mr Hair’s situation very sensitive. We have made avail to him security advice, counselling and media management to assist him.”
There was a pause when it was asked whether that by releasing the information on Hair, the ICC had effectively made his position untenable.
Sonn added: “Darrell Hair has been in a difficult position since Sunday and I’m stating the obvious by saying as a result of this disclosure that position has been made more difficult.
“I said to Darrell today - he and I had a long meeting - that while this is a serious issue, there are issues in relation to his contract and to the ICC’s Umpires’ Code of Conduct.
“I said to him he’s not sacked, he’s not suspended and he has not been charged. We are in a very early stage of dealing with this issue.”