KARACHI, Nov 2: Former Pakistan captain Intikhab Alam has said he has no regrets about imposing the doping bans on Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif that effectively ruled them out of the 2007 World Cup.

“We have set the example for others,” Intikhab, a member of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) drug testing tribunal, told the Bigstar Cricket website on Thursday.

“We didn't have any doubts in our minds about what we have announced.

“They admitted themselves that they had been taking dietary supplements. They are both adults and players have to be responsible for their own actions. Sometimes you have to take these decisions,” the former Pakistan coach said.

“It's sad that it happened but now, since we have taken that decision, the youngsters coming up will be very, very careful.”

Explaining the different length of punishments given to the players, Intikhab said: “Shoaib has been around for the last 10 years and the written statement that his spokesman gave about him taking dietary supplements and not consulting a doctor, shows he was negligent.”

He said the tribunal had been more lenient with Asif because his English was not that good and he comes from a remote village where he would not have been educated on the dangers of drugs in sport.—Reuters