Australian umpire Darrell Hair has been banned from umpiring any more international matches, International Cricket Council (ICC) president Percy Sonn said on Saturday.

"He shall not be appointed to officiate in any international games until the end of his contract," Sonn told a news conference at the end of a two-day ICC meeting.

"We have given instructions to our management to discuss Hair's future with him."

Hair's elite umpires' panel contract is due to expire in March, 2008.

Pakistan blamed Hair when they forfeited the fourth Test against England last August after they were penalised for alleged ball tampering.

The Pakistan team refused to take the field after tea on the fourth day of the fourth Test after Hair and fellow umpire Billy Doctrove penalised them five runs and changed the ball.

Hair and Doctrove then decided Pakistan had forfeited the Test. It was the first forfeiture in the history of Test cricket.

An ICC inquiry cleared captain Inzamam-ul-Haq of ball tampering on September 28 although it banned him for four one-day internationals for bringing the game into disrepute. The ICC also said Hair would not officiate in the Champions Trophy which concludes in India on Sunday for "safety and security" reasons.

Hair had already been embroiled in further controversy when the ICC revealed that he had offered to retire in exchange for $500,000 (263,000 pounds) and the Pakistan Cricket Board made it clear it did not want him involved in any more of its games.