Speed admits International Cricket Council blunder in Harbhajan case

0 Comments | AFP, January, 2008

SYDNEY (AFP) — International Cricket Council chief Malcolm Speed said Thursday the organisation accepted the blame for the administrative blunder that enabled Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh to escape a stiffer penalty in his racial abuse case.

Harbhajan's three-Test suspension for allegedly racially abusing Australian Andrew Symonds during the contentious second Test in Sydney was overturned at a code of conduct appeals hearing in Adelaide on Tuesday.

At the hearing, the charge was downgraded to a level two charge of using abusive language and Harbhajan subsequently pleaded guilty, with appeals commissioner Justice John Hansen fining the spinner half of his match fee.

However, Hansen then revealed he would have handed out a stiffer penalty, including a...