Asif, Aktar in Doping Charges

[Xuhaib]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0...5-23212,00.html

Shamed Shoaib will walk free

By Ben Dorries and Robert Craddock
October 18, 2006

FORMER Pakistan skipper Rameez Raja has shocked world cricket by claiming Pakistan is likely to hit disgraced fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar with a lettuce leaf rather than a sledgehammer.

The outspoken former batsman - and one-time Pakistan Cricket Board boss - believes Pakistan officials will refuse to hang their flashy quick out to dry despite his positive test to nandrolone.

Under international drug laws and supported by cricket's ruling body, the finding would result in a two-year ban.

"I think for the better of Pakistan cricket they will take the better road where they fine Shoaib and do not abandon him for good," Raja said.

"In his rehabilitation it was important to tell him what substances were banned.

"I think the Pakistan Cricket Board will have to ask a few questions and if the coaching staff was not involved, (ask) why the players were left on their own to be rehabilitated."

Because Shoaib and fellow fast bowler Mohammad Asif were nabbed in an in-house drugs test, the punishment will be decided by a hearing of the tribunal of the Pakistan board.

Former Australia skipper Steve Waugh believes there is no justification for a player's failure to realise he was taking steroids.

"With the amount of education around these days there are no excuses," Waugh said.

"Players are told what they can and can't take. You are paid big money. You have to be aware of those things."

Recently resigned Pakistan chief executive Shaharyar Khan cast a pall of suspicion over Shoaib's reputation by refusing to support him.

"I was really very shocked when it was revealed that Asif had tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug but in Shoaib's case I was less surprised," Khan said.

"Shoaib has been prone to injury and whenever he was recuperating he preferred to consult his own doctor rather than the PCB's doctor or support staff."

Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad said the PCB must take responsibility for the conduct of the two fast men because it had allowed a lack of discipline in the team.

"Players are allowed to do what they like and it's just not right," Javed said. "There should have been a lot more rules laid down in that side."

Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who leads his side into battle against the West Indies in India today, said his team was surprised by news of Shoaib's transgression.

"It caught us all a bit off guard and a bit by surprise when we found out and it was a bit of a discussion point among the group," Ponting said. "I don't think any of us know enough about it yet to say if we show any sympathy towards them or not.

"It's disappointing for the game on a world scale to have a few more accusations flying around about drugs in the game.

"It would be incredibly disruptive to their team but in saying that there's generally a bit going on around their group so they should be able to handle it a bit better than most. "

 

[shortpitched713]

He's also approaching 31.

Wow, didn't know that. For whatever reason I thought he was a young gun.

 

[pasag]

This mornings paper said a 3-6 month ban is likley.

 

[Pratters]

Should be banned 2 years technically yes. Whether they will be remains skeptic.

BTW the Shane Warne 1 year ban Cricket Australia gave him.. what would have been the ban period if the ICC had caught him or according to WADA? In other words, how much should he have been banned?

 

[Turbinator]

The selection process in Pakistan is so poor excellent bowlers lik Abdur Rauf and Najaf Shah with proven first clas records are neglected and they keep on giving chances to ordinary bowlers like Mohd Khalil.

It's probably because these selectors keep getting mixed up between all these different Mohds and Abdurs and Abduls etc etc.

 

[archie mac]

Should be banned 2 years technically yes. Whether they will be remains skeptic.

BTW the Shane Warne 1 year ban Cricket Australia gave him.. what would have been the ban period if the ICC had caught him or according to WADA? In other words, how much should he have been banned?

He should have been banned for two years. The way I understood it, if you were found innocent you walked free and if you were found guilty you copped 2 years.

At the time Warne felt hard done by, but tbh I think he was very lucky.

 

[vic_orthdox]

He should have been banned for two years. The way I understood it, if you were found innocent you walked free and if you were found guilty you copped 2 years.

At the time Warne felt hard done by, but tbh I think he was very lucky.

I think that's the WADA's stance. But at the time, ICC may not have been WADA compliant, or it may have been an in-house drug test like this one, by ASDA (Australian Sports Drug Agency, or something similar).

 

[Johnners]

That's true, but throw Shabbir in the mix, and its still more than a handful for most teams.

Did anyone else find this ironic ??

I must say that the reports that Asif & Akhtar are only looking at 3-6 month bans is quite poor imo. Despite the fact that they may have indeed unknowingly taken a banned substance, professional sportspersons should be more aware of whats legal and whats not. Such a short ban is hardly a deterrence away from the use of banned substances. Not only that, it sets a poor precedence for those who are caught in the future.

If the ICC really and truly wish to make their "zero tolerance" policy on drugs clear, the minimal ban (which i understood was 2 years after the warne incident) should be imposed on drug cheats.

 

[Pratters]

I think that's the WADA's stance. But at the time, ICC may not have been WADA compliant, or it may have been an in-house drug test like this one, by ASDA (Australian Sports Drug Agency, or something similar).

They should have followed international norms according to me.

Jonathan Agnew at that time:

But I think he has been let off lightly. I was talking to a former senior adminstrator of the Australian Cricket Board yesterday and he was under the impression it was mandatory to give a two-year ban for an offence like this. These panels treat diuretics very seriously because they can be used as a masking agent for other substances.

 

[Mister Wright]

Shoaib tells his side of story

Interesting part of the article:

"After undergoing surgery in Australia earlier and subsequent treatment for the stress fracture, Shoaib has been seeing a hakim (doctor) in Pakistan. It is a possibility that nandrolone drug was mixed in herbal medicines that he has been taking," he said.

 

[Mister Wright]

No suprise that Hayden wants to Get rid of drug cheats.

 

[vic_orthdox]

If the ICC really and truly wish to make their "zero tolerance" policy on drugs clear, the minimal ban (which i understood was 2 years after the warne incident) should be imposed on drug cheats.

It's not an ICC issue. The ICC wasn't involved at all in the testing process, thus they can't have any formal say in what the punishment is. It's totally up to the PCB.

 

[haroon510]

there is hope for shabir to come back by december as he was in the pakistani camp
also shahid nazir and mohmad sami. sami should be given a chance maybe he come back to his form. i don't know it is just hard without asif and shoaib for pakistan to win a test match. they got a win in one day but thier bowling line looks pretty weak. the way sanath jaysurya was hiting rana it was obvouse that he can't perform with that form in test matches.

 

[Johnners]

It's not an ICC issue. The ICC wasn't involved at all in the testing process, thus they can't have any formal say in what the punishment is. It's totally up to the PCB.

thanks for pointing that out

If thats the case then, you'd hope the PCB takes a similar hard-line approach, it would be quite a farce if they got off with light penalty, especially if the nandrolone wasn't naturally produced.

 

[Slow Love™]

Are umpires drug tested?

I need to know for future career aspirations.

One thing about this whole affair. I don't necessarily believe in the casual demonization of the players concerned, as often follows something like this. Fact is that doctors and trainers are generally employed on the basis of their effectiveness and recovery processes, so there's plenty of motivation for them to play funny buggers with players without necessarily keeping them completely informed.

I don't know for sure that's what happened here, but it's far from implausible. Hopefully the medical/fitness staff get thoroughly investigated in cases such as these (both when under the ICC's auspices and not).

 

[vic_orthdox]

Shoaib should be held fully accountable if it was his doctor who is responsible for the substance abuse. If he wishes to go and use another doctor outside of those recommended by the PCB, he has to make sure that the doctor is aware of world drug standards.

 

[Slow Love™]

Shoaib should be held fully accountable if it was his doctor who is responsible for the substance abuse. If he wishes to go and use another doctor outside of those recommended by the PCB, he has to make sure that the doctor is aware of world drug standards.

Maybe, but my point is more general. It's just too easy for a doctor to give a player something on the banned list, without the player being aware - recommended by the PCB or otherwise. IMO, the approach that ultimate responsibility be given to the player in all cases is a very much less than perfect one, designed only for easy policing. (In other words, we have no other option because our investigative techniques tend mainly just to confirm the presence of the substances, and there are rarely smoking guns to absolutely prove the "guilt" of the person knowingly taking it for illegal purposes.)

I have no trouble conceiving that sportsmen who have been very cautious and questioned their doctors regularly might still end up with banned substances in their bodies. And then there are the ambiguities in people who naturally produce greater quantities of particular substances than is the norm, and the confusion when it comes to cough medications, etc.

 

[Johnners]

One thing about this whole affair. I don't necessarily believe in the casual demonization of the players concerned, as often follows something like this. Fact is that doctors and trainers are generally employed on the basis of their effectiveness and recovery processes, so there's plenty of motivation for them to play funny buggers with players without necessarily keeping them completely informed.

I don't know for sure that's what happened here, but it's far from implausible. Hopefully the medical/fitness staff get thoroughly investigated in cases such as these (both when under the ICC's auspices and not).

It's a good point you raise SL. However, it would be extremely difficult to determine exactly who was to blame in Shoaib's case where he has a seperate doctor/trainer, as chances are you would have the Trainer blaming the player/claiming innocence & vice versa.

If the Trainer/Doctor was in charge of the whole team though it would be easier to determine whether the Doctor or Players were at fault, as the chances are, there would be more than 1 player testing positive.

 

[archie mac]

It's not an ICC issue. The ICC wasn't involved at all in the testing process, thus they can't have any formal say in what the punishment is. It's totally up to the PCB.

That's true, but surely the Boards of international cricket should be singing from the same song sheet, and should make the ICC responsible for uniform rules regarding drug cheats.

 

[Slow Love™]

It's a good point you raise SL. However, it would be extremely difficult to determine exactly who was to blame in Shoaib's case where he has a seperate doctor/trainer, as chances are you would have the Trainer blaming the player/claiming innocence & vice versa.

Sure, and that's why we can't police it any differently at this point - we have to impose a penalty on the player no matter what, because if we don't, there will be little to stop people attempting it deliberately and getting away with it when caught. I'm just referring to the way the players get vilified and cast off when they test positive. I have some sympathy, because the science isn't perfect, and I think some players might cop a raw deal. Of course, if you can prove a player knowingly took a substance, then it's clearly different, but in truth, that often doesn't happen.

If the Trainer/Doctor was in charge of the whole team though it would be easier to determine whether the Doctor or Players were at fault, as the chances are, there would be more than 1 player testing positive.

Yeah, very true. Though particularly important players can still be singled out for that little bit extra help just to get them on the park a week or two quicker.