FILE PHOTO: Cricket - ICC T20 World Cup 2024 - Group B - Australia v England - Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados - June 8, 2024 Australia's David Warner looks on REUTERS/Ash Allen/File Photo
SYDNEY (Reuters) -The lifetime ban from holding leadership positions in Australian cricket imposed on David Warner for his part in the 2018 ball-tampering scandal has been lifted, Cricket Australia (CA) said on Friday.
The prolific opening batsman, who retired from international cricket earlier this year, was branded the ringleader of the plot to tamper with the ball in the third test against South Africa in Cape Town six years ago.
The incident, dubbed "sandpapergate", traumatized the nation and team vice-captain Warner and captain Steve Smith were also banned by CA from elite cricket for a year, while Cameron Bancroft was suspended for nine months.
Although Warner has never publicly explained his role in what happened at Newlands, he has since rebuilt his relationship with CA and applied to have his leadership ban rescinded.
CA said an independent three-member review panel had unanimously decided that Warner met the criteria for the ban to be lifted.
Warner, 37, has said he wants to play on in Twenty20 leagues for another couple of years and the lifting of the ban will allow him to captain his Big Bash League team, Sydney Thunder, as well as take up future coaching roles in the Australian game.
Sydney Thunder general manager Trent Copeland said the former was a possibility for the new BBL season but the latter was probably more important to Warner.
"This is far bigger than a cricket captaincy role," Copeland told reporters in Sydney.
"This is leadership in a lifelong context, so any administrative role, any captaincy or coaching role in cricket.
"This is about him, his daughters in particular, and the legacy he wants to leave for his family."
In the hearing, Warner accepted that he had instructed Bancroft to use a strip of sandpaper to alter the condition of the ball in the 2018 match, and showed his young opening partner how to do it.
"The respectful and contrite tone of his responses ... led (us) to the unanimous view that he was sincere and genuine in acknowledging responsibility for the conduct and ... that he had extreme remorse," the panel said in its decision.
Outgoing CA chief executive Nick Hockley welcomed the decision to lift the ban.
"In 2022 we updated the code of conduct to ensure there was a fair and rigorous process in place for all players and player support personnel to have long-term sanctions reviewed," he said in a statement.
"I am pleased David has chosen to have his sanction reviewed and that he will be eligible to take up leadership positions in Australian cricket this summer."
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Lincoln Feast and Peter Rutherford)
