I am wondering what happens next in the career of Shoaib and Asif. PCB cleared them to play international cricket. The tribunal stated since PCB conducted the tests internally so the regulations followed were PCB’s not ICC or WADA’s regulations. But the problem is from a little bit that I read nandrolone stays in the system for a long time, sometimes as long as 18 months. So what if ICC tests them during one of ICC tournaments, the next ICC tournament being the World Cup. Obviously the drug would still be in the system, what would the ICC or for that matter WADA do at that time?
Re: Asif and Shoaib case, what happens next ?
I think the PCB will take care of that scenario by conducting fresh tests internally before the SA series (ideally) or World Cup.
Re: Asif and Shoaib case, what happens next ?
I have just heard a news that Ashraf was saying that both Akhtar and Asif will not play in the side untill their nandrolene. levels are back to normal,
Not confirmed as yet.
Re: Asif and Shoaib case, what happens next ?
chalo jee piyo isbaghol kaa sut aur lagwalo dust. Start shiitting the stuff out.
I think nadrolone stays in the body for only a few weeks.
Re: Asif and Shoaib case, what happens next ?
I am pretty sure we'll see them in action against SA. As for the WC, I really don't think they would have any traces left, assuming of course they stopped taking them in Otcober.
Re: Asif and Shoaib case, what happens next ?
Case not closed on Akhtar, Asif: WADA
World Anti-Doping Agency chief Dick Pound says the door is not yet closed on the cases of Pakistan cricketers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif after their long-term bans were lifted.
Pound said the International Cricket Council (ICC) must now consider whether it agrees with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed appeal tribunal's finding which cleared the two Test pace bowlers over positive tests for the steroid nandrolone.
And WADA could take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) if the ICC decides to do nothing and WADA disagrees, he added.
Shoaib was banned for two years and Asif for one year over the tests taken before the recent Champions Trophy but they were exonerated under a law on exceptional circumstances in the PCB's anti-doping rules.
The three-man appeal tribunal gave a 2-1 decision in their favour, ruling that they had not had sufficient warning the supplements they were taking could be contaminated by the steroid.
PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf was confident that was the end of the matter, saying: "I categorically say the chapter is closed. We followed a legal procedure and honour and respect the decision by the committee.
He added: "Since the tests were conducted out of a competition, any reservations from the ICC or WADA will not affect players. Why be afraid of the ICC or WADA when we have followed the legal procedure?".
However Pound said Ashraf could only speak for the PCB.
"He's advocating for the process in Pakistan but it certainly is not a closed door at this point," Pound told Sydney radio station 2KY.
"I think he's probably and quite properly speaking as far as Pakistan is concerned ... now the ICC may have a different view and that's something that he can't control."
Pound said not knowing steroids could be in a supplement would not be an acceptable excuse to WADA.
"No, the whole system of anti-doping is based upon the concept of strict liability, that you are responsible for what's in your system," said Pound.
"And it doesn't matter if you were taking some food supplement, if that in fact was what the source was. You are responsible for the fact that you had seven times more nandrolone in your system than the threshold for positive test."
Pound said WADA had yet to study the tribunal's finding and the next step was for the ICC to consider it.
"We'll say to the ICC `look this is your sport, this is your national federation, take a look at the rules and if they haven't applied them properly then really it's your responsibility to act. We only act if you're unwilling to assume your own responsibilities'."
The Pakistan tribunal chairman, Justice Fakhruddin G Ebrahim said the committee found it was "clearly, plainly evident that Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif were ever warned or cautioned against taking supplements."
Asif was only told to discontinue taking the supplements when he himself told team physio Darryn Lifson about them in August 2006, he said.
It was the committee's "considered view that Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif have successfully established that they had an honest and reasonable belief that the supplements ingested by them did not contain any prohibited substances".
Cricket Australia spokesperson Peter Young said it would not be commenting on the matter.
"We don't really want to make any comment. We have an anti-doping policy which is WADA compliant so we operate on that basis and with an objective of having a zero-tolerance approach to drugs in sport.
"What other countries do within their own administration is a matter for them and I don't think we'll be commenting about their internal affairs and how another country operates its cricket."
The ICC was equally tight-lipped at this stage.
"We haven't seen the judgment and the reasons behind it, so at this stage we won't be able to make any comment," a spokesman said from its Dubai headquarters.
Neither bowlers is to be immediately recalled for the ongoing one-day series against West Indies.
Re: Asif and Shoaib case, what happens next ?
I think ICC has already said back in October that it was upto PCB to decide.
Anything can be expected from WADA. I just hope they don't interfere.
Re: Asif and Shoaib case, what happens next ?
I was listening to NPR and they were saying that all the sports organizations want drugs out and even the chess players organization is thinking of carrying out drug tests to make sure the sport is no tainted. If that is true then ICC might intervene and take a tough stance.
Re: Asif and Shoaib case, what happens next ?
Nandrolone with a decanoate ester is fairly long acting (10 carbons) to begin with and if on top of that a lot of the drug can be de- and re-esterified that means the substance stays active in the body for quite a long time. This has resulted in positive drug tests for the hormone nandrolone and many of its metabolites, most notably 19-Norandrosterone up to 18 months after last use of the drug. While this is a fairly known fact, the recent number of athletes (including well known soccer stars) that have tested positive for nandrolone would indicate a lot of misinformation or plain lack of information in some circles -=-Source-=-
Nandrolone is a steroid used to build muscle mass - a logical choice for body builders or offensive tackles, but not for cross-country cyclists.** It also stays in the body for a comparatively long time** -=-Source-=-
This is because Nandrolone stays active for a long time and the ancillary drugs will not be able to show there are several effect while the steroid is still being released into the bloodstream. -=-Source-=-
Re: Asif and Shoaib case, what happens next ?
ICC issued their statement already. They said PCB is to blame and that the ICC needs to educate and work with the boards more so that “much more work needs to be done to educate players and to synchronise our members’ efforts to attain a totally drug-free sport”…
I believe that statement clarifies exactly what ICC will be looking for from the boards. And it does not seem they will challenge the verdict.
Re: Asif and Shoaib case, what happens next ?
^^ It's not a matter of them challenging the verdict right now but what happens if and when Shoaib/Asif get tested during the ICC world cup and they still have nandrolone in their system ? Would ICC ban them at that time or would they be holding the previous verdict by PCB infront of them and let them play. Knowing ICC I am sure they will not allow players with higher then allowed nandrolone level to participate in their event. I guess it's time for Shoaib and Asif to get a blood transplant or something.
Re: Asif and Shoaib case, what happens next ?
Ashraf reiterates PCB’s zero-tolerance policy
Osman Samiuddin
December 7, 2006
Nasim Ashraf, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to a zero-tolerance policy on doping in the wake of criticism from Percy Sonn, the ICC president, over the board’s handling of the doping cases of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif.
The bowlers were initially handed bans by a committee set up to investigate their cases, only for the judgment and punishments to be totally overturned by a subsequent appeals committee. The findings of the appellate committee raised questions about the PCB’s anti-doping regulations and it prompted Sonn to remark, in an official statement, that “the judgment highlights inconsistencies in the PCB’s anti-doping processes and regulations.”
But Ashraf, speaking to Cricinfo, defended the role of the PCB in the matter. “We remain totally committed to a zero-tolerance policy on doping. I cannot stress that enough. But the verdict of both commissions also has to be honoured and respected. The board has nothing to do with the commissions. They were completely independent; they proceeded and arrived at their conclusions in an open and transparent manner.”
What appears to be a particular concern is the seemingly wide divergence between the PCB’s anti-doping regulations and those of the ICC and WADA (World anti-doping agency). As a result of the disparity, the original committee found both players guilty and punished them based on ICC and WADA regulations but the appellate committee exonerated them of all charges under PCB regulations, further arguing that the first committee was wrong to have referred to an international code in the first place.
Ashraf explained that the discrepancy existed because the PCB had framed their policy in 2002, much before the ICC adopted the WADA code. And in response to Sonn’s call for member countries to align their regulations with those of the ICC and WADA, Ashraf said the process had already begun in Pakistan.
“We have already started aligning our policy to the WADA code and we will make sure that this process happens as quickly as possible now. Our policy should be as close to possible as their’s. Pakistan is one of only four members that has an active anti-doping policy at the moment and ours was framed back in 2002.”
Though drugs have crept into cricket through a number of incidents in recent years - international players have been fined for smoking marijuana and first-class cricketers banned for more serious abuse - Shoaib and Asif are the only players to test positive for a banned anabolic steroid. Shane Warne tested positive for a diuretic which is used to mask the presence of steroids and was banned for a year.
And Ashraf reasoned that from this incident, there was an opportunity for cricket to learn as well. "This unfortunate incident has created mass awareness of doping issues in cricket. That is something we can all, as a sport, now learn from and try and prevent such cases from occurring again. This is a good lesson for all players because the responsibility ultimately is theirs for what goes into their body.
“We will also take greater pains to ensure that all players are properly educated about doping matters and fully understand the issues at stake. And we will do this while being completely committed to zero tolerance on doping. That is something the board, and I personally, will not compromise on. I believe in zero tolerance and I will implement this belief.”
http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/pakistan/content/current/story/271499.html](http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/pakistan/content/current/story/271499.html)
Re: Asif and Shoaib case, what happens next ?
I guess it all depends on the nandrolone level at the time (WC 2007). If the level is lower than the previous level in October and if as you say the drug can stay in the body for as long as 18 months, it would merely confirm that although the drug was still in their system, the players stopped taking it in October 2006 and the ICC will have no option but to honour the previous verdict by PCB.
Re: Asif and Shoaib case, what happens next ?
What can one expect to hear from a regulating body like WADA? they have kept a watchful peephole open for any future repercutions, which is fine.
Re: Asif and Shoaib case, what happens next ?
----------------------cvabn--------------------------
This is not correct ^ and should not be qouted-un qouted in vain 
:k:
Do your own research first 
Re: Asif and Shoaib case, what happens next ?
Thanks for correcting me.
I just found out that **the half-life of Nandrolone is only 30-40 minutes. **So fresh tests should n’t be a problem.
For the benefit of non-medics:
Half-Life = The time it takes to metabolize/remove 50% of what is still in the body. For example, if we inject 100mg of a steroid with a half-life of 4 hours, at the four-hour mark we should have only 50mg left as active. After another four hours have passed the drug is still in the body, however another half-life has expired and the total active dosage will be around 25mg. It may take several half-lives before the drug is completely inactive/eliminated from the body.
Re: Asif and Shoaib case, what happens next ?
----------------------cvabn-----------------------
Shaabaash ! A+ 
Re: Asif and Shoaib case, what happens next ?
ASIF COMPLAINS OF ANTI-MUSLIM BIAS
Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif believes the national team are treated differently because of the Islamic faith shared by all the players, barring Danish Kaneria.
The 23-year-old paceman was cleared on appeal with team-mate Shoaib Akhtar from doping charges on Tuesday in a year when the Pakistan team has been dogged by several controversies.
Pakistan were also under the spotlight when they forfeited the last Test with England at The Oval when they refused to take the field after umpire Darrell Hair had penalised them for ball-tampering, a charge of which they were later acquitted.
However, skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq was still banned after refusing to take the field.
The year also saw Shaharyar Khan quit as chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in the wake of a controversy that saw Younis Khan initially turn down the captaincy.
The team, like the country, have a strong Islamic identity and Asif believes this has led to them being judged by a different standard to other Test-playing nations.
Asked by the BBC Asian Network if Pakistan were “picked on”, Asif said: “Yeah, treatment is going to be different because we know that there is a religion problem and other problems.”
He admitted that 2006 had been a tough year for Pakistan, saying: “Yes in the last two or three months the Pakistani cricket team have had a lot of scandals, the umpire scandal then after that straight away our chairman changed… but now it’s okay.”
Asif admitted he was baffled as to why he tested positive for nandrolone.
He said: "I don’t know really, because you know Asian countries - no awareness in Asian countries.
"I don’t know really how that can have happened… Some protein and vitamins, I was in (the) England tour in between and I was injured and used too many medicines so I think it all happened about these things…
“The problem is in Pakistan the medical point of view is not very good because if you want to go and buy a medicine you can go and buy that and you don’t know if it’s really good medicine or if it’s proper.”
Re: Asif and Shoaib case, what happens next ?
Bull Shyt crap ^ not true , rather a statement from RAW 
Re: Asif and Shoaib case, what happens next ?
You mean Indian propaganda. Indian newspapers and websites often attribute their own prejudiced views and vitriolic opinions to
Pakistani publications/media etc. I just wanted to get reader’s views on this.