BREAKING NEWS:::: SHOIAB and ASIF ban Lifted!!!!!!

[Isolator]

Don't like cheating though, surely reducing the ban would have been the better way to go?

They can't keep any sort of ban in place if they decide that there were procedural errors in the testing/banning.

And also, YES! ASIF'S BACK! WOOOHOOOO.

 

[BhupinderSingh]

Excellent decision by the tribunal appointed by PCB,good to see justice prevailing finally.U can't ban/punish someone for their ignorance.Any ignorant person who commits these sport crimes is as innocent who doesn't commit it IMO.

Most of the people opposing the decision & abusing PCB are idiots who r no wellwishers of Pakistan Cricket.

 

[Dravid]

It's a shame so many people think this is a good decision.

 

[BhupinderSingh]

Mohammad Asif-Gaandh phaad de ga GORON ki

 

[Dravid]

Excellent decision by the tribunal appointed by PCB,good to see justice prevailing finally.U can't ban/punish someone for theeir ignorance.Any ignorant person who commits these sport crimes is as innocent who doesn't commit it IMO.

Most of the people opposing the decision & abusing PCB are idiots who r no wellwishers of Pakistan Cricket.

Excuse me you tool, but I have nothing against Pakistani Cricket. Infact I am a fan of Asifs bowling, but cheats don't deserve to play without serving a punishment.

 

[adharcric]

Technically, it's a stupid decision. At best, the ban should have been reduced because they did both take illegal substances after all.

Overall though, I don't really have a huge problem with it. For all I care, the PCB could be corrupt and I wouldn't give a crap.
Two world-class bowlers are returning to international cricket and that translates into better cricket. That means a lot to me.

Akhtar-Asif-Gul will be great to watch.

 

[IndianByHeart]

This can be a bad news for Gul as he might find it hard to be in team that might have Akhtar, Asif and Shabbir .

I'm glad that Asif is back for i think he didn't deserve any ban atall as PCb never briefed him about drugs.Akhtar though has tested negative in 2003 doping test, so he knows about doping and drugs, so on what grounds has he been cleared is going to be interesting to learn.

 

[Matt79]

Excellent decision by the tribunal appointed by PCB,good to see justice prevailing finally.U can't ban/punish someone for their ignorance.Any ignorant person who commits these sport crimes is as innocent who doesn't commit it IMO.

Ignorance isn't an excuse in any other walk of life or court system. Don't really see why its an excuse here - if you're going to play cricket for your country the least you could do is make sure you have some understanding of the rules.

I bet no-one has ever sat Asif down and told him its illegal to hit an opposition player over the head with his bat - if he went out and did that, would his ignorance excuse his actions?

 

[Langeveldt]

Absolute farce of a decision, but one that was expected.. The only ignorance is from the decision makers and those on here who blindly support it..

Shame Hansie isn't still alive, maybe we could have had him back in this day of nobody caring a great deal..

 

[Scmods]

Shane Warne-I didn't know what I took. Banned for a year
Akhtar and Asif-I didn't know what I took. Let off

Sub-Continental hypocrisy strikes again. Who knows, maybe one day the entire cricketing world will play by the same rules, just a crazy idea I had...

 

[Langeveldt]

Ban all drugs cheats for life no matter where they come from.. Shoaib and Asif are cheats to the nth degree and should never be given the respect of anyone..

 

[James90]

I think Asif was completely innocent and the ppl who wanted him to be banned were a total disgrace, because you simply cannot ban a player who has never in his life ever been briefed about banned drugs.

How hard is it to check up on the laws before taking something that will clearly alter your body. Ignorance is such a poor excuse. I think the whole thing is farcicle, when I researched the case after the suspensions were dealt I thought they both should have gotten two years. Was amazed that they could even appeal it seeing as their B samples weren't tested.

Terrible, IMO.

 

[Dasa]

Shane Warne-I didn't know what I took. Banned for a year
Akhtar and Asif-I didn't know what I took. Let off

Sub-Continental hypocrisy strikes again. Who knows, maybe one day the entire cricketing world will play by the same rules, just a crazy idea I had...

Yep, that crazy subcontinent. Because Shoab and Asif represent the entire subcontinent. And of course, the independent tribunal that made the decision was obviously not independent at all, but just made up of members of the PCB/BCCI etc. Also not forgetting that cricket wasn't ever ruled by England/Australia and the subcontinent was always treated equally.

Anyway, to some of reactions in here - it seems as if the decision to overturn the ban was made on technicalities...not out of some sort of crusade to let cheats go free. It wasn't the PCB's decision either. Provided similar circumstances, I suspect the result would be the same anywhere in the world.

 

[C_C]

Bloody disgraceful!

They should both be banned for atleast one year, if not more- no excuse whether they took it consentually or not - the fact that they have dope present in their bodies equals ban.
But this is PCB and its expected.

 

[James90]

Anyway, to some of reactions in here - it seems as if the decision to overturn the ban was made on technicalities...not out of some sort of crusade to let cheats go free.

Still doesn't mean it's right for these guys to get away with it. It's rumoured that the ICC accepted it because they referred to the guidelines regularly. I wouldn't be surprised if the PCB found some loopholes.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

IndianByHeart makes some good points in this thread, actually. I don't think you can necessarily blame the PCB for the decision, as it wasn't made directly by the board, or at least there's no proof that it was.

I'm sure there's a level of self-interest in the decision to accept the appeal, but if the testing process was incorrectly managed then you can't really expect the findings to be upheld, and it would be the same if they were conducted by the ICC or any other board.

There's one counter to this argument though. The PCB were given the luxury of determining their own punishments because it was an independantly conducted test and not overseen by the ICC. By the same token, they could potentially be free to ignore the testing regulations that the ICC or whoever might usually impose over their tests. I'm not sure of the legal issues surrounding this. It probably doesn't work this way.

Either way it's a bit of a shame that they got away with the drug use, and ignorance is certainly no excuse, just as it wasn't for Warne, but you simply can't punish someone if the tests aren't conducted in line with the regulations for the testing of all other athletes.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Just when I didn't think I could hate the Pakistan side any more...


They really are a team of cheats now, it is beyond any doubt, regardless of whatever sloblock was produced to get them off - virtually any other country would have just accepted it or would have conducted the testing properly in the first place. PCB should simply not select either cricketer for the initially weak ban length if it wants to regain any dignity for Pakistan's cricket team.

 

[Langeveldt]

It's hard to think rationally when such lunacy prevails in our once great sport..

I'd propose boycotts of Pakistan matches (not that any of their fans would care), and if I was in charge of a cricket board, I certainly wouldn't honour a tour there, whatever the fine.. Any games that Asif and Shoaib participate in should not contain an opponent who has crickets interests at heart

This sets a horrible message to potential drug takers and makes the game even less credible as a global and honest sport..

 

[GIMH]

Dark day for Cricket. This is even more embarassing than England's day 5 performance.

 

[pasag]

Ban all drugs cheats for life no matter where they come from.. Shoaib and Asif are cheats to the nth degree and should never be given the respect of anyone..

Disagree right there, I don't think first time drug abusers should be dealt with that harshly in any sport. Really, I am mystified at the witch-hunting that goes on in global sport when ever this happens. Not the biggest problem and calls for life are nothing more than a knee-jerk reaction. I thought Warne should have got less and I thought these two should have got less as well.

Don't see why people are coming out and slamming the decison when little is known about the process as of yet and untill I see evidence otherwise, I'll assume the panel acted in honesty and integrity.