Shoaib, Asif banned for taking prohibited drugs
Bureau Report

LAHORE—Pakistan Cricket Board’s anti-doping commission Wednesday evening banned pacers Shoaib Akhtar for two years and Muhammad Asif for one year for using performance enhancing drugs.
“These players have been found guilty for taking Nandrolone which is banned anabolic steroid and they have banned from playing all types of cricket (international and domestic)”, said former Punjab Governor, Barrister Shahid Hamid, head of the three-member tribunal at a news conference here.
The other two members of the commission former Pakistan captain Intikhab Alam and Dr Waqar Ahmed were also present on the occasion. Shahid Hamid said both of the players have been given minimum punishment under the rules of World Anti Doping Agency.
“We have concluded the case after three-day marathon sessions by giving ample opportunity to both the test cricketers to plead their cases and we also had the opinion of leading medical experts on the issue”, he said adding “ the decision has been taken after thorough investigation with the help of statements recorded by both the players “.
He said under the decision both the players are not eligible to get financial assistance or allowances which the Pakistan Cricket Board was giving them through their respective playing contracts. “Both of them have seven days for having a review to the same commission and they have 30 day time period to appeal PCB to reconstitute another commission to hear their case”, he said. The A samples of Shoaib and Asif tested by World Anti Doping Agency’s accredited laboratory in Malaysia found that both of them were using stamina enhancing drugs forcing the PCB to suspend them and to withdraw them from the Pakistan squad which participated in the ICC Champions Trophy.
As per rules of World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) the urine sample of a player are divided in A and B groups and if the player has objection of its A samples or he is not satisfied with the results then the laboratory tests his B samples to give its final verdict.
“Both of them rejected the offer for testing their B samples “,he said adding “ the dope test confirmed a higher level of Nandrolone in their bodies which proved that they were on stamina building drugs “. Answering a question,he said,Shoaib admitted that he was taking food supplements and “Kushtas” (power building herbal medicines) and he did not use steroids but he did not mention the name of doctor or (Hakim) under whose advise he was doing so. “Shoaib knows the hazards and consequences of taking such medicines as he underwent doping twice in 2003-4 besides he also attended a “ drug awareness programmes in 2004 “ whereas Asif started his test career hardly a year ago and was never tested besides he did not attend any such awareness programme that is why the commission has given benefit of ignorance “,he said.
The chief of the commission said during the investigations all the laid down procedure was followed and rules and regulation of PCB and WADA were adopted and the decision has come through a transparent way.