[Archive 2006-08-26] Umpire Darrell Hair offers to quit ICC elite panel for $500,000

Historical archive — originally published 2006-08-26. This report records what was known on that date. It is not current news; subsequent events may have changed the situation. Wikinews closed in May 2026.

The International Cricket Council announced on Friday that controversial Australian umpire Darrell Hair has offered to resign from the ICC Elite Umpires Panel with effect from 31st August if he is paid a sum U.S $500,000 to do so. Hair is currently involved in a dispute with the Pakistan side after he penalised them for ball-tampering during their Test against England at the Oval. The Pakistan team subsequently refused to come out of the pavilion, resulting in their forfeiting the match to the home side. The issue soon snowballed and both the Pakistani captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and Hair came under criticism, the former for bringing the sport into disrepute and the umpire for his alleged bias against players from the Subcontinent.

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