**The International Cricket Council is talking to the World Anti-Doping Agency to establish whether they can intervene in the Pakistan drugs controversy. **
Shoaib Akhtar was banned for two years but won his appeal and was free to play after serving only a month of his ban.
Fellow fast bowler Mohammad Asif also tested positive for banned nandrolone and was initially suspended for a year.
An ICC spokesman said: “We are in discussion with Wada about the way forward. We can’t say what may happen.”
Essentially, the ICC will attempt to ascertain if it has a constitutional right to intervene.
It might fear that its flagship tournament, the World Cup, which takes place in the Caribbean next Spring, could be undermined by the presence of Shoaib and Asif in the Pakistan squad.
On Wednesday, ICC president Percy Sonn suggested he did not believe the Pakistan Cricket Board had a stringent enough policy against drugs. He said: “Of primary importance is that all those members revisit their own regulations and align them both with the ICC’s anti-doping code and the Wada code.”
^ Instead of that ICC/WADA (bewafa) can announce that instead of "random" drugs test, they will conduct drug test of ALL players ... this should've sent out a stronger signal... but oh well.
^^ I agree, what the hell is this random testing crap. Just test all the damn players and get it done and over with.
This is what I was actually worried about, I didnt think ICC or WADA would ait quietly over the last verdict. They would try to intervene in it. I am sure PCB expected that too, they are not adding Shoaib and Asif to the squad cause they are short on match practice, they are just waiting to see which way the wind blows. Asif and Shoaib will probably play a couple of domestic games for the hell of it and then PCB would wait and see whats going to happe with ICC and WADA. It would be interesting to see what team is announced for the Saffies tour. With Shoaib, Asif, Gul and Rana we would have a kick a** bowling attack, without Shoaib and Asif it would be mediocre. The next couple of weeks should be pretty interesting in this case.
This is what I was actually worried about, I didnt think ICC or WADA would ait quietly over the last verdict. They would try to intervene in it. I am sure PCB expected that too, they are not adding Shoaib and Asif to the squad cause they are short on match practice, they are just waiting to see which way the wind blows. Asif and Shoaib will probably play a couple of domestic games for the hell of it and then PCB would wait and see whats going to happe with ICC and WADA. It would be interesting to see what team is announced for the Saffies tour. With Shoaib, Asif, Gul and Rana we would have a kick a** bowling attack, without Shoaib and Asif it would be mediocre. The next couple of weeks should be pretty interesting in this case.
................ and don't forget Shabbir (ban ends on 19 Dec. 2006) and Shahid Nazir (I would prefer him over Rana any day in tests).
My test quartet will be Akhtar, Asif, Shabbir and Gul
