Cronje may work in the media

PRETORIA, SEPT. 28. Pretoria High Court Judge Frank Kirk-Cohen has reserved judgement on Hansie Cronje's attempt to overturn a life ban imposed on him by the United Cricket Board (UCB).

After two days of legal arguments, Judge Kirk-Cohen said on Thursday: ``both counsels have very strong heads of argument which doesn't make my job any easier.''

There was no indication when he would deliver his decision.

Ex-South African captain Cronje is attempting to overturn the ban imposed on him after he admitted to the King Commission in June last year that he accepted around $130,000 from illegal bookmakers.

But it emerged that Cronje could work in the media - within certain limits.

Senior counsel Wim Trengove told the hearing: ``Cronje is free to practice as a journalist by attending a cricket match as a spectator and then returning to his office to report on it for the print media. He can also work as a studio commentator.''

But Trengove argued that Cronje's access to the media centre at a match was entirely at the discretion of the UCB.

``He may apply for media accreditation from the UCB, but the UCB has every right to refuse his request because journalists are treated as guests of the UCB.

``The media centre is also the property of the UCB and as such it can decide who may be given access and who may not.''

Trengove also expanded on the point that as a voluntary organisation, the UCB was ``well within its rights to decide with whom it will or will not associate.''

He agreed that banning Cronje along lines of race, sex or sexuality would be an infringement of his constitutional rights. ``But Cronje is being banned because he is a cheat,'' said Trengove.

Trengove also argued that even if the UCB had acted unlawfully, Cronje still had no right to demand that he be allowed to associate himself with the UCB and its affiliates because no contract existed between the two parties.

- Reuters

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Section  : Sport
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