This is like a question, that can we accept criminals as innocent people because match-fixing is a criminal offence for which the offender can be imposed a life ban from continuing his/her professional career as a player and of not being offered any high posts in corresponding offices. Match fixers are just like any other criminals because just for the greed for money they become responsible for tarnishing the name of their team and also their country.
In match fixing a player is paid an agreed amount of money which is usually decided earlier, and that player is expected to artificially influence his way of playing the game. It is considered as a criminal offence because it breaks the discipline of the game as it is highly considered to be a gentleman’s game. It is considered as an offence since the player breaks the rules of the game just for the sake of money and betrays his team and also his country.
A professional sportsman is expected to be honest, sincere and faithful towards his teammates, his team and most importantly towards the game which he is playing. For decades players have indulged themselves in match fixing and as a result they have faced the consequences if they had been found guilty.
Saleem Malik, a Pakistani cricketer was the first international player on whom a life ban was imposed when found he was offering bribes. Noted Indian players like Manoj Prabhakar, Ajay Jadeja, and Mohammad Azharuddin were under the scanner after being found involved in match fixing scandals. Jadeja was awarded a 5 year ban for being involved in the 2000 series with South Africa match fixing scandal.
A couple years back Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt, Mohammed Asif and Mohammed Aamer were found guilty of spot-fixing. The Bangladesh Cricket Board had sacked Mohammad Ashraful for a suspected match and spot-fixing during the last season of Bangladesh Premier League.
In the present times the Indian Premier League (IPL) has seen a lot of these unhealthy practices in which many young and new cricketers were found guilty and were barred from playing cricket. In the last season Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan of Rajasthan Royals were arrested after being accused for spot fixing. Shalabh Srivastava a former player of Kings XI Punjab got suspended by the BCCI for spot fixing.
Such players tainted with match fixing cannot be accepted unless they are proved to be innocent. It is highly punishable since these person have given more importance to the money factor by putting aside the discipline of the game and the faith of the team and the name of their country.