Pakistan board to have zero-tolerance on doping

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said that it would adopt a zero-tolerance policy on doping but would allow the concerned players to fully present their part of the story before the relevant tribunal. Fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Shoaib Akhtar were sent back home yesterday, on the eve of Pakistan's opening encounter in the Champions Trophy in Jaipur, after failing a dope test conducted by the PCB. The players had tested positive for Nandrolone, a banned steroid.

"We have zero tolerance as doping is a very serious thing and we would deal with it in a flawless manner," Naseem Ashraf, the PCB chairman, told AFP. "But we will give every chance to our players. They are our best players and we would give them a full chance to give their viewpoint when they appear before the doping tribunal."

The PCB yesterday clarified that the players were required to take two urine samples, A and B, with Sample A tested initially and sent back to the players. But if a player disagreed with the results, he can request sample B to be tested. Until then, Sample B would remain at the testing laboratory. Both Asif and Shoaib have not appealed yet.

According to the ICC's rules, a player found guilty of a doping offence could face a ban of a minimum of two years but since the tests were conducted by the PCB, it is upto the board to deal with the issue. Ashraf did not give any timeframe for the ban.

However, Danish Zaheer, president of the Sports Medicine Association of Pakistan, has said that there could be an outlet for the banned players, if they can prove that the substance was not obtained through external means.

"Nandrolone is normally taken under medical supervision as it is used in injectable form but recent theories suggest this substance is naturally produced in athletes' bodies," Zaheer told AFP. "Both players can claim that they have bodies that normally produce such banned substances more than the prescribed quantity - that is a possible theory."

Meanwhile, Cricket Australia praised the PCB for its handling of the episode and the prompt action taken against the players. The Australian media too praised Pakistan for "acting bravely", with the same energy with which it tackled the match-fixing crisis in the 1990s.

"It's good to hear the Pakistanis have taken the approach they have and it shows they are taking the matter seriously," said James Sutherland, Cricket Australia's chief executive. "It's something no sport wants or needs."