November 03, 2006	Friday	Shawwal 10, 1427

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KARACHI, Nov 2: The International Cricket Council has heaped praise on Pakistan Cricket Board for their efficient handling of the doping inquiry which resulted in Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif being slapped with long-term bans.

Percy Sonn, the ICC president, applauded the decision of the PCB’s Anti-doping Commission which found both pacemen guilty of using banned substance anabolic nandrolone.

In a statement issued in Mohali on Thursday, the ICC chief observed: “I have read the judgement handed down by the PCB (anti-doping) commission and feel I must commend the group for its work.“It is a good judgement, well written, very professionally done and they have made constant reference to the guidelines laid down in the PCB’s anti-doping code. From an ICC perspective it is very satisfactory.

“However, it is a tragedy that the careers of two cricketers have been tarnished in this way but, at the same time, the judgement emphasises that cricket has a zero tolerance of drug use.

Sonn stressed that zero tolerance of drug use was the major message sent to the cricketing world by the governing body’s drug-testing regime at all its events since 2002 and its adoption of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code in July of this year.

While commending that the PCB has done extremely well in handling the matter in an efficient manner, Sonn asked other nations to follow suit.

“I would now urge all ICC full members not already engaged in their own testing regimes to adopt such a process as soon as possible so that cricket can show just how committed it is to being known as a drug-free sport,” he said.

The PCB Anti-Doping Commission, comprising Barrister Shahid Hamid, former Test captain Intikhab Alam and Pakistan Sports Board’s Dr Waqar Ahmed, on Wednesday banned Shoaib for two years and Asif for one after the duo was found guilty of doping offences.