Originally posted by BBC Sport
Hair barred from internationals
The International Cricket Council has confirmed Darrell Hair will not umpire in any further international matches.
Hair's position had been the subject of debate since he penalised Pakistan for ball-tampering in the controversial Oval Test against England in August.
The Australian's contract as an elite umpire runs until March 2008, but he will not be offered a new one.
And between now and then, the ICC will not ask him to officiate in any matches between Test-playing nations.
"I am afraid we have lost confidence in Hair," ICC president Percy Sonn told reporters.
"He will not be appointed to officiate in any further international games."
On 20 August, Pakistan were in the field against England on the fourth day of the final Test of the series.
Hair, who was already regarded as a controversial figure - particularly in the subcontinent - awarded England a five-run penalty because he believed the ball had been interfered with.
The Pakistan team refused to resume play after the tea interval in protest against the decision leading to the first fofeiture in 129 years of Test cricket.
ICC adjudicator Ranjan Madugalle later cleared Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq of ball-tampering charges.
At a news conference in Mumbai, ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said: "I had hoped we could find a way for Darrell to continue umpiring at the top level."
"I spoke to Darrell on Friday after the decision was made, and he was very disappointed.
"We will speak to him in the next few days when he has decided what this means for him."
Hair offered his resignation to the ICC in exchange for US$500,000 in the wake of the Oval match.
And the first indication that his days as a Test umpire might be over came when he was removed from the panel for October's Champions Trophy in India on security grounds.
His fellow umpire at The Oval, West Indian Billy Doctrove, has always maintained a lower profile.
