The Hindu : Front Page : Akhtar, Asif fail drug test

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Oct 17, 2006
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Akhtar, Asif fail drug test

Vijay Lokapally

PCB decides to withdraw the two from the ICC Champions Trophy

BIG BLOW: Pakistan's chances at the ICC Champions Trophy suffered a major setback with fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar (right) and Mohammad Asif (left) testing positive for the banned steroid nandrolone in an internal dope test conducted by the Pakistan Cricket Board. The duo _ seen leaving the Lahore airport on Monday after being recalled to Pakistan _ will play no part in the tournament. - PHOTO: AFP

JAIPUR: The Pakistan cricket team suffered a huge blow on the eve of its opening ICC Champions Trophy match against Sri Lanka when it was revealed Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif had failed a drug test.

According to a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announcement, the two key fast bowlers have been withdrawn from the team.

In a press release, PCB's Director, Cricket Operations, Salim Altaf, said: ``In accordance with PCB's Anti Doping Policy, the PCB had arranged to test 19 players prior to the Champions Trophy from a World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) accredited laboratory in Malaysia. Two of our players, namely Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif, have tested positive for nandrolone, which is a banned anabolic steroid, as per the preliminary tests.

(A PTI report from Islamabad quoted PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf as saying that the second samples sent to the laboratory for reconfirmation too tested positive.)

The PCB has decided to withdraw the two players from the ICC Champions Trophy immediately.''

The high-profile Akhtar and the promising Asif join the company of Australian great Shane Warne in the list of famous cricketers to have failed a drug test.

Warne lost his place in the team when he tested positive for a diuretic on the eve of the 2003 World Cup.

In the Champions Trophy, two players from each team are being randomly tested after every match in an ICC-WADA joint venture. Any positive test will attract the mandatory two-year ban for a first time offence.

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