Pakistan says no evidence to back rape allegation by AFP

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Event:

VB Series 2004/05

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DateLine: 25th January 2005

 

Pakistani cricket chiefs have closed their investigation into claims that one of their players raped a woman in Australia after finding no proof, an official said.

 

"The chapter is closed as far as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is concerned after we found no evidence of any such incident," PCB spokesman Abbas Zaidi told AFP on Monday.

 

"Some of the international channels sought cheap publicity through this case to demean Pakistani cricket, which was very disappointing and we condemn that," said the spokesman.

 

Pakistan's team management was left furious on Friday after an unnamed player was accused of raping a woman at a Melbourne hotel in an Australian newspaper report.

 

"We are here to play cricket and we do not want to do anything inappropriate," Pakistan team manager Haroon Rashid had said, adding that the allegation in the Herald Sun was a massive slur on the players.

 

The Centre Against Sexual Assault in a Melbourne suburb told the newspaper that the alleged attack took place in a city hotel, but the woman was not yet prepared to make a complaint to police.

 

The attack was alleged to have taken place while the Pakistan team was in Melbourne for the Boxing Day Test against Australia.

 

The PCB also hired a lawyer in Australia and contacted the Pakistan High Commission to probe the matter.

 

"It (the report) was an attack on Pakistan cricket. The team management, as well as the PCB, from its sources, conducted a thorough probe but we found the allegations were baseless," said Zaidi.

 

"We said earlier that it was something very intriguing that an incident that happened three or four weeks ago -- with no lawyers hired and no police complaint made -- has been reported in the media," he said.

 

"Our players know their duties, and since they are forbidden from all off field activities through a central contract they would not do anything that would bring shame on them or their country," the spokesman added.

(Article: Copyright © 2005 AFP)