NEW DELHI: Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf has been withdrawn from next month's Champions Trophy tournament in England amid media reports he is under Indian police investigation for spot-fixing, the ICC said Thursday.
The announcement comes a week after police arrested three cricketers, including Test fast bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, accusing them of deliberately bowling badly in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL).
The International Cricket Council (ICC) said the decision was made after media reports on Wednesday "that the Mumbai police are conducting an investigation" into Rauf's activities.
" ... we feel that it is in Asad's best interests as well as those of the sport and the event itself, that he is withdrawn from participating in the Champions Trophy," the ICC said in the statement.
"At this stage, the ICC has no further comment to make."
Rauf, 57, has stood in 48 Tests and 98 one-day internationals.
There was no immediate comment available from the Mumbai police or Rauf but the Press Trust of India and other domestic media said the umpire was under investigation by the police as part of its spot-fixing probe.
Spot-fixing is an illegal activity where a specific part of a game, but not the outcome, is fixed.
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