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The Pakistani Cricket Team suffered a huge setback as speedsters Shoaib & Asif were handed a two year & one year ban respectively by the three man tribunal comprising former captain Intikhab Alam, Barrister Shahid Hamid and Waqar Ahmed A medical expert appointed by the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Both bowlers tested positive in the build-up to the Championship Trophy currently being played in India, and were pulled out of Pakistan squad on October 16, the day before their opening game.
The ban could effectively end Shoaib’s controversial career as he will turn 33 by the time the ban is lifted, Shoaib initially denied Any misconduct saying “I have not knowlngly taken any performance enhancing drugs and would never cheat my team-mates or Opponents in this way”. But initially both men declined the offer of a retest on their Blood samples which implied that they did not Question the results.
“We gave a full chance to both the pacemen to fight their cases and after a thorough inquiry we feel they failed to prove their innocence” said Hamid, the Chairman of the panel.”The process of doping was investigated carefully, we made sure the tests were conducted properly, samples reached the laboratory in Malaysia safely and there was no error in testing in the Lab.
Both the players were satisfied and accepted the tests and gave their point of view but after a thorough inquiry and bound by The WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) we reached the decision” Under the ICC Doping rules, a two-year ban is the minimum penalty for a first offence. However, the PCB said all along it will take its own Decisions, since the tests were conducted internally.
Certainly, it is disgusting that a player, a Macho Man, a crowd puller, a celebrity like Shoaib Akhtar found indulge in such A disgraceful act, he has not only destroyed his much earned fame but also has delivered a nasty blow to the gentleman’s Game called Cricket.
- (with input from Cricinfo)
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Javed Ali, SQUARE CUT, YaHind Sports