By IANS,
Karachi : The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Tuesday suspended fast bowler Mohammad Asif with immediate effect, a day after he was confirmed to have tested positive during a random dope test in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The PCB said that it will offer all assistance to IPL Drugs Tribunal on the Asif issue and will also take stern measures against the bowler. It also stated that Asif would receive no assistance from the board to fight his legal battle.
“In line with our anti-doping policy, we have suspended Mohammed Asif with immediate effect,” said PCB’s chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi.
“He will have the right to appeal under the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) anti-doping regulations. The PCB will offer all the assistance to the IPL Drugs Tribunal and implement its findings. We may even attend the inquiry proceedings,” he added.
Asif was also left out of the 30-member list of probables for the Champions Trophy and will not be allowed to take part or associate himself with any activity related with PCB and the ICC.
Naghmi said PCB will not tolerate doping and condemns any such practice in all forms and manifestations.
“PCB is WADA compliant and has a comprehensive anti-doping policy which extends to all cricketers under the jurisdiction of the board,” Naghmi said.
“The board shall offer every reasonable assistance to ICC and other ICC members as they may require for the implementation and enforcement of their anti doping regulations”, he added.
Meanwhile, Shoaib Akhtar, who is amidst a legal tussle with the PCB, has been named in the squad.
The PCB also said that a doping test would be conducted on all 30 players, July 19-20 here.
The release said any player failing the test or failing to give samples for the test shall become ineligible for selection and will also face disciplinary proceeding under PCB’s anti-doping policy.
Probables: Shoaib Malik (captain), Misbah-ul-Haq (vice-captain), Salman Butt, Nasir Jamshed, Khalid Latif, Khurram Manzoor, Ahmed Shehzad, Yasir Hameed, Younus Khan, Azhar Ali, Bazid Khan, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanveer, Fawad Alam, Mohammad Hafeez, Yasir Arfat, Mansoor Amjad, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Mohammad Ali, Rao Iftikhar, Sohail Khan, Abdur Rauf, Wahab Riaz, Anwar Ali, Mohammad Aamir, Kamran Akmal, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Abdul Rehman, Saeed Ajmal.