Re: Where are Shoaib and Asif?
Kamran Abbasi
http://blogs.cricinfo.com/pakspin/
- On Akhtar
Is it so hard to get a urine sample from Shoaib Akhtar? And when he finally deigns to offer up some bodily fluids what will the test prove? The same applies, of course, to Mohammad Asif.
Nandrolone is broken down reasonably quickly in the body but its metabolites can hang around for months. It is possible that metabolites might still be present in Shoaib’s and Asif’s urine samples. Provided those levels have dropped to near the threshold set by WADA–which is where you guess they might be if they had decreased in line with the decay curve of nandrolone metabolites------ the conclusion is that Shoaib and Asif have been clean since their last test. Under those circumstances talk of life bans seems ridiculous.
- On Woolmer
Just when I thought it was safe to hibernate for a month, Pakistan cricket reminds us that its stupidity knows no bounds. This is a little tricky to write since I know the people involved but there are a few points I can make quite clearly:
1 I know Bob. I find it difficult to believe that he is racist, even if he would call somebody a “Blackie”? The only people I’ve ever heard use that word I’m afraid are people from South Asia. It reminds of the time I was done for a driving offence and the policemen read out a statement that he said he had taken from me which used language I knew I would never use.
2 I know the sports editor of Dawn. I find it difficult to believe that he would publish a piece without something to back it up. The quality of Dawn’s sports pages has improved no end over the last eight months or so.
3 I wonder then about Dawn’s sources and assume that there can’t be many people who were privy to that conversation and could state with conviction - genuine or not - that a racist remark was made. If the source turns out to be unreliable or untrustworthy then Dawn better apologise, and quickly.
4 To accuse a national coach of making a racist remark to one of his players is a most serious allegation. It is the kind of allegation that means at least one head will roll, the person who made the remark or the source of the claim, assuming that it has to be somebody inside the Pakistan camp.
5 It’s also time that another head rolled. The shambles in Pakistan cricket has become a national disgrace. Who will take responsibility? Dr Ashraf or Mr Altaf? Perhaps one or both of them? It’s time gentlemen. But guess what? I bet neither of them do.