LAHORE, Feb 22: The short training camp for 2007 World Cup begins at the Gaddafi Stadium from Friday with the future of pacemen Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif still shrouded in mystery as no definite news on their dope tests has come from the Pakistan Cricket Board so far.

Though both Shoaib and Asif have been selected in the 15-member squad, along with another unfit paceman Umar Gul with a condition to prove fitness in the training camp, they are yet to give the urine sample for the dope tests which have been declared as mandatory for each player by the PCB.

The PCB doctor Sohail Salim had already sent the samples of 19 players to a Malaysian Lab. That includes the samples of the 12 selected for the World Cup as well as the seven reserve players. The results of the dope tests are expected next week.

However, key players including Shoaib, Asif and Shahid Afridi are yet to give their samples to the board authorities.

While Afridi's case appears quite simple since he has been away from Pakistan in the past week or so, the delay in obtaining the samples of of Shoaib and Asif has raised quite a few eyebrows in the backdrop of their positive dope tests and subsequent bans during the last ICC Champions Trophy held in India in Oct-Nov 2006.

According to doping expert Dr Danish Zaheer, both Shoaib and Asif could face a life ban if they again test positive since a meagre quantity of the banned substance nandrolone could still exist in their bodies.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has ket a vigilant eye on both Shoaib and Asif after it moved Court of Arbitration in Sports (CAS) against the exoneration of the two pacers by an appellate tribunal in December last year. The case is still pending before the CAS.

According to reports, Shoaib is suffering from a recurrence of a knee injury while Asif has been struggling due to an elbow injury sustained in the later part of the South African tour. Both pacers have now returned home from London after having getting a second opinion on their injuries.

"All the players will be available in Lahore attending the camp from Friday and I am quite hopeful that all the remaining players will go through the doping tests during the camp," PCB Director Cricket Operations, Salim Altaf said on Thursday.

"The PCB has a zero tolerance policy for doping test and no player will go to the West Indies without giving the sample," the director said.

But the time is running out for the players, specially for Shoaib and Asif, as the Pakistan team is to depart for the West Indies on March 1. It looks highly unlikely that they get the results of their tests before the team's departure since 10 to 12 days are required to complete the process.

When contacted Asif, who was reluctant to talk to the media initially, made a brief statement later by saying the doctors had advised him more rest in the coming week.

"I am not allowed to talk to press and at the moment I am not in a position to give a reply to any question since the doctor advised me rest," Asif said.

However, it is quite likely that both the fast bowlers will attend the training camp on Friday.

Meanwhile, Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer has reached Lahore to join the training camp and examined the pitches prepared for it. Later in a brief chat with the press the coach said he had no rift with Shoaib but the team needed him in a match-fit condition. He said he did not use any racial remarks against Shoaib during South Africa's tour.

Meanwhile, medium-pacer Umer Gul, who is also included in the team with the condition to prove his fitness in the camp due to his troubling ankle, did some bowling at the Gaddafi Stadium for a commercial along with all-rounder Abdul Razzaq.

Umar, who has stress fracture said he was quite fit and he had been bowling eight to ten overs daily.