Banned cricketers to be stripped of Arjuna award
Three banned Indian Test cricketers, including former skipper Mohammad Azharuddin, will be stripped of the nation's highest sports award given by the government, Sports Minister Uma Bharti said on Friday.
Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja and Manoj Prabhakar will be asked to return their Arjuna awards, Bharati said in Parliament, replying to a question on players banned by the Board of Control for Cricket in India over match-fixing allegations.
"We have decided to withdraw the Arjuna awards from these three players. But we have
given them 15 days time to respond to the decision and present their point of view," Bharati said.
She said her ministry took the law ministry's recommendations while making the decision.
The BCCI banned Azharuddin and Ajay Sharma from cricket for life and suspended Ajay Jadeja and former all-rounder Manoj Prabhakar for five years after an internal inquiry based on the Central Bureau
of Investigation probe.
Azharuddin was given the award in 1986, followed by Prabhakar in 1993 and Jadeja in 1997.
Mail Cricket Editor
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