December 30, 2006	Saturday	Zilhaj 08, 1427

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KARACHI, Dec 29: Justice Fakhruddin G. Ibrahim, the chairman of the PCB appeals committee which exonerated fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif of doping charges last month, said on Friday that the two players would have been cleared earlier had they challenged the flawed dope testing procedures.

“Dr. Danish Zaheer had pointed out that procedural flaws in dope tests conducted by the Pakistan Cricket Board in Septemeber this year meant that the players could not be convicted in the first place,” said Fakhruddin while talking to Voice of America. “However, I told Dr. Zaheer that since the pacers did not challenge the testing procedures, therefore it was not for the Appeals Committee to give ruling on this aspect.”

Commenting on World Anti Doping Association’s reaction against the exoneration of Shoaib and Asif, the former chief justice said: As far as this case is concerned WADA had nothing to do with it. If WADA has any independent right to appeal in Court of ….., I have no knowledge about it”

“But whatever WADA is doing is a separate issue and I know nothing about it. But the world body had nothing to do with the PCB appeals committee’s proceedings. I fail to understand why this has become a controversy,” said Fakhruddin who has also been a former Sindh Governor.

The WADA recently challenged the exoneration of the two Pakistan fast bowlers, saying that it was exercising its independent right by filing appeals against Shoaib and Asif.—Agencies