Asif lodges appeal against ban

LAHORE—Pakistan Cricket Board has formed a three-member Anti Doping Appeal Commission to hear the case of banned pace bowler Muhammad Asif who appealed on Monday against the one year ban handed over to him for the use of stamina enhancing drugs.
This was stated by Director Media and Marketing,PCB, Dr. Ahsan Hameed Malik at a news conference which was also attend by PCB’s medical expert, Dr. Sohail Salim here on Monday.
Dr. Ahsan said the committee is headed by former Chief Justice Sindh High Court and former Governor Sindh, Justic (retd) Faharuddin G Ibrahim and Dr Danish Zaheer, a world known Pakistani expert on doping currently working as Director of Sports Medicine and Research Centre in Brunei. Former test cricketer, manager and chief selector Haseeb Ahsan is the third member of the body.
The earlier anti-doping commission of PCB banned express bowler Shoaib Ahtar for two years and Asif for one year for using performance building steroid.
“Asif has appealed against the ban and Aftab Gul will be his lawyer to plead his case”, he said adding “the fresh committee comprises of three individuals who are expert in their respective fields”.
He said the committee members will coordinate between them in a couple of days to start hearing of the case as early as possible.
Answering a question, he said, the committee has been constituted in line with International Cricket Council and PCB’s anti-doping regulations which states that in case of a appeal a fresh committee be appointed.
“We cannot give any time frame in concluding the hearing of the appeal but we believe it would be done accordingly and in short span of time knowing the importance of the case”, he said.
PCB Director said in case Shoaib files an appeal the same committee will hear his case. “So far he has not filed an appeal”, he answered to a questioner.
He said, Asif has the option in the appeal to ask for the testing of his B sample which is in possession of the World Anti Doping Laboratory in Malaysia.
Dr. Sohail made it clear if the punishment of ban of a player is reduced then he will again be undergoing doping to know the present level of banned steroid Nandrolone in his body.
PCB Director Media said PCB was following all the rules and regulations in the investigating into the case and an impression in this regard that it did not follow the laid down procedure was absolutely wrong. “We are dealing with an important matter and we cannot risk to ignore any aspect and the handling of the so far case been praised by the ICC”, he said.—Online