Should Cronje be allowed back?

Former disgraced South African captain Hansie Cronje has set his sights on coaching the national team.

Should Cronje be allowed back into cricket?

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Cronje goes to court in September to challenge his life ban, imposed after he admitted receiving money from bookmakers in exchange for match information.

The former South African skipper accepts he will never play representative cricket again, but Cronje has indicated he wants to make an international comeback in a coaching capacity.

Cronje accepts his return would send out mixed messages to the rest of the cricket world, but hopes his love of cricket will prevail.

If allowed to play again, would Cronje be making a mockery of attempts to stamp out corruption in cricket?

Should a life ban really be for life?

I can understand why he wants to get back into the game, it is all he has known and the alternatives look bleak. But this is no reason to allow it. He has been fairly convicted and sentenced for his crimes which have shocked the cricketing world. Would you want your promising son or daughter to be coached by him? I don't care how much contrition he shows, actions speak louder than words and when you have been found guilty of match fixing in any sport there is no way back for you.
Jeremy Dean, UK

Forget the fact that he put personal gain ahead of his country and used his position to exploit others. The worst crime was that he (along with others) betrayed millions of cricket fans around the world and has forever tainted our game.
Paul, UK

It's too soon to let Hansie back. If he comes back at all, it should be after a more suitable cooling off period. If he were allowed back as coach, I can't help but feel that would be making a mockery of the ban and the idea behind it.
Rob Coulton, Australia

He has owned up to his errors and it is high time we forgave him

  Bruce Smith, USA

What Hansie did was wrong and cannot be forgotten. But let's not forget that he owned up for what he did and even gave all his betting money to charity. If criminals can be let out and forgiven then why not Hansie? I support his return completely.
Nitin Chandra, India

What will cricket achieve by banning Hansie Cronje for life? He is willing to dedicate his time to coaching and surely that cannot be questioned because he was one of the world's finest captains before his demise and he's got a vast amount of knowledge that under priveleged children in South Africa would appreciate.
Avtar Devgon, England

Hansie did some really stupid things and brought South African cricket into disrepute. However, he has owned up to his errors and it is high time we forgave him, if not, forget the transgressions.
Bruce Smith, USA

I strongly believe Hansie should be allowed to play cricket again. He is the only one to have the guts and the courage to admit his mistake. So why should South Africa and the others make such a fuss over this? It is totally unreasonable to treat him so unfairly. There are many cricketers in many countries who have done this and are still playing without any guilt.
Emmanuel, India

Does he not realise that the world of cricket does not want him back in the game in any capacity, let alone a coach of the SA national team

  Col, UK

The question should really be, would South African players want to be coached by Cronje? If his presence would cause upset in the camp, then no. As for a life ban meaning life - whatever happened to reformative justice?
Jimi P, UK

Cronje seems to be in a world of his own. Does he not realise that the world of cricket does not want him back in the game in any capacity, let alone a coach of the SA national team. He's lost the plot!
Col, UK

If the man wants a second chance he should try and look sincere at least. He should prove this by going round to young people and telling them what he did was wrong and why crime doesn't pay. Peter
Peter, Australia

There is no way that Cronje should be allowed to coach the South African team or to profit in any way from cricket. He may have the required experience but accepting him as an international coach is tantamount to condoning what he has done.
J Lawless, England

If Cronje is allowed back into the game, what kind of message would that send out to the young cricketers of South Africa?

  Tom Clayton, Britain

Let him coach! He's still the best we've ever had! Thanks, Hansie! You're great!
Sue van Eeden, UK

If Cronje is allowed back into the game, what kind of message would that send out to the young cricketers of South Africa? The coach should be a role model. Also, the whole point of giving him a life ban is to deter other people from doing the same thing.
Tom Clayton, Britain

Mr Cronje has paid for his wrong doing handsomely and it is high time that all this match fixing stuff be put aside and we return to cricket. If Mr Cronje has something he can contribute to bring the game back to where it should be then, by all means. Quite enough has been said and done.
Cools-Lartigue, Antigua

There is no doubt that Hansie Cronje brought the game into disrepute, but at the same time one should not forget that he is the only person to have owned up. This obviously shows there is repent in the person, and hence he has served his term. As far as returning to cricket is concerned, no team or nation should select him as a player, but I am quite sure he can be a useful coach.
Dhaval Brahmbhatt, USA

He is not only a disgrace to South Africa, but also to the whole cricket world

  Shankar Krishnamoorthy, US

What Hansie Cronje has done is a disgrace to himself and his country. He should never be allowed back into the game of cricket at any level.
Alistair Marsh, England

Absolutely not. He is not only a disgrace to South Africa, but also to the whole cricket world. He should be banned for life and should not be allowed to participate in anything related to cricket.
Shankar Krishnamoorthy, US

There's no doubt that he is a talented cricketer, and as a South African, I know his input to the team will be invaluable, but honestly, he brought so much shame on all of us I couldn't support a team that he is part of. I think the best way to "put this behind us", is to forget about Hansie Cronje, and carry on without him.
Leesie, South Africa

There are millions of people who love cricket and love their country so why should someone who has damaged the reputation of both be allowed to fulfil such a high profile position?
JG, UK

Would you want Jeffrey Archer back in politics?

  IB, UK

A life ban should mean life. He should take full responsibility for his actions and not make a mockery of the sport he says he loves.
Eddie, UK

From what I could gather from the newspapers here in Chicago, his 'crime' was not that serious. He never 'fixed' a match. The information that he sold, in my eyes, was not very important. Any cricket writer could have deduced much of this by himself. Let him become a coach.
Bob Hovis, USA

He has done the reputation of his sport and his country no service.
Ailsa, UK

Would you want Jeffrey Archer back in politics?
IB, UK

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