KARACHI, Oct 19: Pakistan fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif have been told to stop talking to the media before their appearance next week at a doping tribunal.

The pair were recalled from the Champions Trophy in India on Monday after testing positive for the banned steroid nandrolone.

The players, who have pleaded innocent to charges of knowingly using a banned substance, face a ban of one to two years under World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regulations.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has said that as Pakistan conducted the tests internally it should decide on their punishments.

“They have been advised that it is better for them to plead their case in front of the tribunal instead of publicly as it would only damage their case,” Saleem Altaf, the Pakistan Cricket Board's director of cricket operations, said on Thursday.

Saleem said that the first hearing would take place next week after the Eidul Fitr holidays.

“Since the holidays are coming up we have decided to have the hearing immediately afterwards. Both will be given a fair opportunity to plead their case and can ask for a test of their B samples,” he added.—Reuters