Tuesday, September 12 2006 11:38 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Melbourne: Umpire Darrell Hair, in the centre of the ball-tampering row with Pakistan, says he has been deeply hurt by allegations that he is a racist.

"It really upsets when people describe me as a racist, because they have no idea how I spent my childhood and how that shaped my beliefs in adult life," the Aussie says.

"It's particularly hurtful when I count as some of my closest friends the Pakistan umpires Aleem Dar and Asad Rauf, and the Sri Lankans Asoka de Silva and Peter Manuel. We are men from different cultures drawn together by cricket," Hair says.

Hair says he would not have acted the way he did had he not thought the spirit of the game had been violated during the Oval Test.

"Cricket places the onus on captains for them to ensure the game is played fairly within the laws and spirit of cricket," Hair says.

"The umpires intervene only when they decide the game is not being played within the spirit of the game," he says.

Hair's comments come days ahead of the International Cricket Council's hearing of Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul Haq, charged of ball tampering and bringing the game into disrepute by Hair and fellow umpire Billy Doctrove.

The hearing is slated to be held in London on September 27 and 28.

"All good umpires will have a quiet word rather than jump in. I prefer the principle of non-intervention," Hair says.

"But the decision to intervene finally depends on the seriousness of the matter."