Darrell Hair's Lack of Judgment

By ICF Staff
August 25 2006

The stunning demands for money from controversial Aussie umpire Darrell Hair to the ICC, leaked to media by the administrative body, have led to an impossible situation for the embattled official.

Darrell Hair has claimed that his bizarre demand for a half-million dollars in exchange for stepping down as an ICC umpire came at a time of high stress for him, and that he "revoked" those demands two days later.

Guess what, Mr. Hair? You have just admitted that you lack the one quality necessary in any umpire: good judgment at times of stress.

On the field, an umpire has a split second to get his decision right. Hair says that he needed two days to get it right.

Besides which, he hardly "revoked" his demand, based on published transcripts of his email to the ICC. What he reportedly said was: "It appears from overnight developments that the issue of racism has arisen and from advice I have just received, the sum indicated in my release offer is being revised. Therefore the offer is withdrawn until I have had the chance to take further advice. Hope to get back to you within the next 24 hours." In other words, he was revising the amount of money he expected to be paid by the ICC, and in the context of this email, presumably upwards.

Demands for huge amounts of money to leave quietly, a demand to keep those demands confidential, and Darrell Hair's reputation as a very enthusiastic betting man have raised the specter of corruption and even fixing -- a matter in which the ICC is understandably sensitive.

Current consensus is that Hair was holding the ICC to ransom, and allowing him to go unpunished would set an unacceptable precedent.

ICC CEO Malcolm Speed for his part has said that he told Hair there was no guarantee that he would not be sacked, suspended, or charged.

Hair has responded that he had no malicious intent and that he "intends to continue umpiring." He also wants the Code of Conduct hearing against Inzamam to take place as soon as possible. Wishful thinking, Mr. Hair.

These developments will unavoidably cast doubt over his credibility in any statement he makes at the ICC hearing against Inzamam, potentially making a mockery of it.

Even if Hair now leaves quietly and without a penny to show for it, the ICC must bear responsibility for appointing a man with a known controversial past in their umpiring panel. They must accept there are several others like him in both the umpire and referee panel. Names such as Chris Broad, Steve Bucknor, Mike Procter and Billy Bowden come to mind -- perhaps even the much-disliked Malcolm Speed himself.

It is time to clean up the ICC and restore credibility to the great game.