Positive dope tests for Pakistan pace bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif meant a disappointing day for cricket, International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Malcolm Speed said on Monday. The pair were withdrawn from the Champions Trophy earlier on Monday after they tested positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone.
"It is a situation which is generally very disappointing for cricket," Speed told a news conference. "The Pakistan board has certainly taken the right action in testing the players ahead of the event. "I think it is fair to say that again, if there are findings these players have breached the code, yes, that is a disappointing day for cricket."
Pakistan meet Sri Lanka on Tuesday in their opening group B tie. Speed said ICC would now encourage all national boards to streamline their anti-doping policies to comply with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules. "Other sports have faced up to this problem," he said. "We need to know the full story to know if an offence has been committed.
"Cricket is regarded as a low-risk sport in respect to drugs and doping. That is not to say we don't take it seriously." Speed said only South Africa, Australia, England, Pakistan and New Zealand tested their players regularly. "I guess we would encourage all our member countries to have their own internal doping programmes consistent with the WADA code.
"As a result of these two positive tests, it is certainly something I hope had gone from the ICC agenda when we adopted the code this year. It has been on our agenda for a long time and it will be back on." Speed said the ICC would wait until the Pakistan board's doping tribunal heard the issue and gave a verdict. Although WADA guidelines stipulate two-year bans for first time offenders, the players' statements could have a bearing.
"There are options for the players to prove they are not at fault, there was no negligence, no significant fault and no performance-enhancing effect of the substance," Speed said.
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