A dreadful end! That's what newspapers, newsrooms and the media reported after the verdict on the three Pakistani cricketers came in. "These offences, regardless of pleas, are so serious that only a sentence of imprisonment will suffice," Judge Jeremy Cooke told at London's Southwark Crown Court.
To my knowledge, this must be the harshest of punishments imposed in any Sport history, unless of course we consider ourselves to be in Gladiator times.
Indeed, the game of Cricket has suffered numerous blows to its authenticity in the past few years. For instance, when Pakistan lost the Cricket World Cup semi-final to India last year, there was huge speculation on a "match-fixing" looking at Pakistan's lazy performance which otherwise had been doing extremely well defeating stalwarts like Australia quite tactfully.
Scandals that have made news over the years have brought to light many legitimate and dignified players. Sometimes with proof, sometimes without. Each time, there was a buzz and then it was all forgotten. However, this time the situation was inherently different. The motive was "greed."And like all trials in court, the motive is the primary consideration for the jury to declare a verdict.
Greed has many interpretations in the dictionary and some of them are listed below.
In religious terms, greed is a sin wherein the culprit condemns eternity for temporary worldly power. In psychology, it is a desire to acquire or possess more than one needs or deserves. "Avarice" is the term used to describe greedy behaviour such as disloyalty, treason, or deliberate betrayal, especially for personal gain for example through bribery. Philosophers have sometimes defended greed as being good as in greed for life, knowledge, wealth, love etc. It is restlessness of the heart, craving for power and possessions for fulfillment of desires.
The chief expressions of greed are related to the "emotional" part of man.
Therefore, a vice we all possess in relatively different portions.
This vice can become a virtue if we have the ability to contain our emotions, feel the satisfaction in our possessions and are able to direct this intense energy towards positive actions.
In reality, its just silencing your conscience which at all times is active and audible.
Its difficult to comment upon "being human" but we live in a world which to me has never been black or white. Maybe, barring them from the game and making them pay a fine would have been the right punishment. Placing them behind bars seems a little unjust.
Sentencing the sporting agent, the mastermind to this whole scam, to jail was just the right thing to do.
Today, we are in a place where damage to a game can place people behind bars...to imagine the damage done to the lives of these young men, who were all outstanding players, probably deserved a lot many years in prison. Exploitation of young minds for money, fame and power should indeed hold harsh consequences.
To my knowledge, this must be the harshest of punishments imposed in any Sport history, unless of course we consider ourselves to be in Gladiator times.
Indeed, the game of Cricket has suffered numerous blows to its authenticity in the past few years. For instance, when Pakistan lost the Cricket World Cup semi-final to India last year, there was huge speculation on a "match-fixing" looking at Pakistan's lazy performance which otherwise had been doing extremely well defeating stalwarts like Australia quite tactfully.
Scandals that have made news over the years have brought to light many legitimate and dignified players. Sometimes with proof, sometimes without. Each time, there was a buzz and then it was all forgotten. However, this time the situation was inherently different. The motive was "greed."And like all trials in court, the motive is the primary consideration for the jury to declare a verdict.
Greed has many interpretations in the dictionary and some of them are listed below.
In religious terms, greed is a sin wherein the culprit condemns eternity for temporary worldly power. In psychology, it is a desire to acquire or possess more than one needs or deserves. "Avarice" is the term used to describe greedy behaviour such as disloyalty, treason, or deliberate betrayal, especially for personal gain for example through bribery. Philosophers have sometimes defended greed as being good as in greed for life, knowledge, wealth, love etc. It is restlessness of the heart, craving for power and possessions for fulfillment of desires.
The chief expressions of greed are related to the "emotional" part of man.
Therefore, a vice we all possess in relatively different portions.
This vice can become a virtue if we have the ability to contain our emotions, feel the satisfaction in our possessions and are able to direct this intense energy towards positive actions.
In reality, its just silencing your conscience which at all times is active and audible.
Its difficult to comment upon "being human" but we live in a world which to me has never been black or white. Maybe, barring them from the game and making them pay a fine would have been the right punishment. Placing them behind bars seems a little unjust.
Sentencing the sporting agent, the mastermind to this whole scam, to jail was just the right thing to do.
Today, we are in a place where damage to a game can place people behind bars...to imagine the damage done to the lives of these young men, who were all outstanding players, probably deserved a lot many years in prison. Exploitation of young minds for money, fame and power should indeed hold harsh consequences.
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