The Disciplinary Tribunal of the West Indies Cricket Board announced today that Trinidad & Tobago batsman Jason Mohammed has been penalised under the WICB’s Code of Conduct.

Mohammed has been banned for the first two matches of the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force in the WICB Professional Cricket League Regional 4-Day Tournament, stemming from a breach of the WICB Code of Conduct earlier this year.

In handing down the decision, the Tribunal said it did not consider that the ban would affect Mohammed’s eligibility for selection to the senior West Indies team.

Mohammed was charged with and pleaded guilty to dissent. Ordinarily, merely showing dissent is a Level 1 offence under the Code of Conduct.

The WICB took the view however, that as this offence occurred within a year of a previous offence of serious dissent, it should be automatically upgraded to a Level 3 offence.

When Mohammed pleaded guilty last year to a Level 2 offence of showing serious dissent at an umpiring decision, he was fined 75 per cent of his match fee by the match referee.

In its decision, the Tribunal held that the purpose of the rule was to deter dissent and in particular repetitive dissent.

Therefore, Mohammed’s punishment under the Code of Conduct was an automatic ban.

The Disciplinary Tribunal which comprises Justice Adrian Saunders (Chairman), Justice Desiree Bernard, Dr. Lloyd Barnett, OJ, and WICB Corporate Secretary Verlyn Faustin (ex officio) met on August 1 to conduct the disciplinary proceeding.

Former West Indies wicketkeeper/batsman Jeffrey Dujon, another member of the Tribunal, was excused early in the proceedings, and former West Indies captain Desmond Haynes, another member, was unavailable at the time.

Mohammed was ably represented by Simone Seedansingh of the West Indies Players’ Association.

IMAGE: Jason Mohammed

SOURCE: http://www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2015-08-22/wicb%E2%80%88bans-tt%E2%80%99s-mohammed