October 18, 2006	Wednesday	Ramazan 24, 1427

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LAHORE, Oct 17: Top pace duo of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif, allegedly involved in using banned drugs to enhance endurance, met Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Director Cricket Operations, Saleem Altaf on Tuesday to explain their position.

PCB, on Monday, had recalled Shoaib and Asif from India after they tested positive for nandrolone.

Shoaib, who had a 45-minute long meeting with Saleem, avoided the press, saying he was not allowed to talk on the issue.

However, Saleem while speaking to mediamen later in the day, said Shoaib pleaded his innocence in the matter and was not clear on what really caused the whole thing.

Saleem said Shoaib had claimed that he used different medicines to for an early recovery from his knee problems but it was entirely on doctors' advice.

Therefore, he did not commit any crime. Incidentally, Shoaib’s doctor Tauseef Razzaq was also present at the Qadhafi Stadium on Tuesday.

Young pacer Mohammad Asif also met the DCO at the PCB headquarters and later told journalists that since he was not a tearaway fast bowler he did not need any power enhancing medicines.

He said his meeting with Saleem was encouraging and he was satisfied that the board would not take any action without giving him a fair hearing.

The DCO said that both Shoaib and Asif would meet the PCB chairman, Dr. Nasim Ashraf on Friday to explain their position before facing the tribunal. He said Shoaib and Asif would be given full and fair chance to prove their innocence.

Meanwhile, former Test cricketer Intikhab Alam is likely to be included in the tribunal to probe Shoaib and Asif’s offence. The PCB had announced on Monday that the three-member tribunal will comprise a doctor and a lawyer alongwith a senior cricketer.

"At present I can't say who is being included in the tribunal. Certain names are being discussed and a final shape will be given to it soon," said Saleem.

According to the PCB anti-doping policy, approved by the ICC in 2003, the two bowlers face a two-year ban if they fail to convince the authorities of their innocence.