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| October 17, 2006 | Tuesday | Ramazan 23, 1427 |
PCB tribunal to decide on Shoaib, Asif penalty: Nasim
LAHORE, Oct 16: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf, addressing a crowded news conference on Monday evening, said that the board will soon set up a tribunal to decide on the penalties for fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif who were called back from India after testing poitive for banned anabolic drug, Nandrolone.
He said that the investigating tribunal which will recommend further punitive action against the players would comprise legal advisor, doctor and Test cricketers. “It (tribunal) will take into account all the evidence and action will be in accordance with guidelines of ICC”.
“The decision to conduct drug-tests and recall these players was entirely our own but we have intimated ICC as we are signatory to anti-drug regime and further action against them will be in accordance with ICC guidelines and standard procedures,” he said.
He ruled out any role of either management, including coach, or doctors at the training camp in the incident. “The players themselves are responsible for taking these drugs,” he said, recalling that Shane Warne was also banned on similar offences just before the 2003 World Cup.
He said the players had been fully informed of the consequences of positive tests. “They had been told they would face a maximum of two years ban in case of first offence of such kind”.
“We don't want to ruin the careers of players and delinquent players would be given full hearing by the investigating committee,” said Dr Nasim, who took over as PCB chief on Oct 7.
To a question about the timeframe of further action, he said it would be taken “after committee's findings come before us”.
He said he had talked to coach Bob Woolmer about the suspension of the players and about their replacements. He also reiterated that Woolmer will remain coach till the World Cup 2007.
Commenting on the replacements for the suspended players, Nasim said: “Saleem Altaf talked to the ICC officials who allowed us to replace the players, even from outside the nominated 30 probables for the Trophy,” he said.
“ICC and other international bodies have lauded our action which will be biggest setback to our team but we did the right thing.
Dr Nasim said Pakistan deserved credit for revealing the positive test results at the outset on two of its key players. “We did not cover it up... We don't care about losing or winning. We need to educate the players because this is a very serious offence,” he said.
Our Sports Correspondent adds from Lahore: PCB director cricket operations, briefing the media soon after Dr Nasim’s press conference in Islamabad, said slow left-armer Abdul Rehman and all-rounder Yasir Arafat will replace Shoaib and Asif in the Champions Trophy provided the ICC allowed such a move.
Saleem said that, though, Yasir was not included in the preliminary list of 30 probables sent to the ICC, a special request was made to the international body for him.
Saleem read out an official PCB statement which said: "In accordance with PCB's Anti Doping policy, PCB had arranged to test 19 players prior to the ICC Champions Trophy-2006 from a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accredited laboratory in Malaysia.
“Two of the Pakistan team players namely, Shoaib and Asif, have tested positive, as per preliminary tests, for Nandrolone, which is a banned anabolic steroid. PCB has asked for reconfirmation of the tests from the Malaysian laboratory, the results of which are expected to be received by the board tomorrow.
Soon after the press briefing, the reports of the second test for the two players were also received as positive.
Sources told Dawn that the test of all the players, except that of Shoaib, were taken on Sept 29. Shoaib was somewhat reluctant to undergo the tests but finally gave the urine sample on Oct 1.
“That caused a delay in sending the samples to Malaysia for the test,” said one source from the board.
The first report from Malaysia was received in the PCB offices on Oct 13. The PCB reconfirmed it through the 'B' sample, which also tested positive.
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