Asif’s B sample tested positive

	Mohammad Asif faces a ban after his B sample taken during the IPL also tested positive for a banned substance

The B sample of Mohammad Asif, the Pakistan fast bowler, taken during the Indian Premier League has tested positive for nandrolone, a banned substance. Last month the IPL had revealed that Asif had tested positive in random testing conducted during the tournament. Asif, who played for the Delhi Daredevils, had asked for his B sample to be analysed.

Asif, who faces a possible two-year ban, and his lawyer have questioned the discrepancy in the readings of the two samples. The second sample had a nandrolone concentration of 5.4 nanograms per millilitre of urine while the first had 6.2 nanograms. According to WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) regulations, upto two nanograms per millilitre is permissible.

Asif had been suspended by the PCB from all forms of the game pending the result of the IPL inquiry. Lalit Modi, the IPL commissioner, had previously told that if Asif’s B sample also tests positive, the matter will be taken up by the IPL’s drugs tribunal, comprising Sunil Gavaskar, Dr Ravi Bapat (ex-vice chancellor of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences) and lawyer Shirish Gupte. The tribunal will take a decision in accordance with the ICC’s anti-doping code, which the IPL had adopted.

Besides testing positive during the IPL, Asif is also embroiled in another mess, having been detained at Dubai airport in June for allegedly possessing drugs. He was released by authorities after 19 days in detention, but an internal inquiry by the Pakistan board had reportedly found the evidence to be “pretty conclusive” against the player, and had recommended a ban.

The fast bowler previously tested positive for nandrolone, the banned anabolic steroid, along with Shoaib Akhtar, just before the 2006 Champions Trophy in India. Though he was banned for one year by a PCB tribunal, the punishment was overturned a month later on appeal.

- About Cricket -

Sandesh Kumar

Asif Pleads : Not Guilty

Mohammad Asif has pleaded “Not Guilty” before a Pakistan Cricket Board for his 19-day trial in Dubai airport from June 1 to 19 for alleged possession of an illegal substance.  Mohammad Asif returned to Pakistan after Dubai’s public prosecutor dropped the case against him.

The committee is likely to submit its findings to the board on Monday, after which Nasim Ashraf, the PCB chairman, is set to announce whether any action has to be taken against Asif.

Asif is currently under suspension for being tested positive for a banned substance during random dope test at the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he played for Delhi Daredevils. He is due to appear before IPL committee to face charges and is likely to face some punishment from his home board later on.

- About Cricket -

Sandesh Kumar

Asif wants B sample test postponed

Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif has asked for his B sample test,

which had been sche duled for July 28, to be postponed. His lawyer, Shahid Karim, wants more time to prepare for the case and make travel arrangements.

Karim said Asif has yet to receive the required documents from the Indian Premier League authorities relating to the A sample test, without which he could not prepare for the case.

“From the IPL we certainly want the documents that relate to the procedures they adopted for the ‘A’ sample test and we are entitled to have them,” Karim told PTI. “We also want certain documents from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that might be relevant to the case.”

ICC anti-doping regulations provide players and/or their representative the right to be present when the B sample is opened and analysed. That means Asif and his lawyer will have to travel to Switzerland, where the testing will be done in a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited laboratory. “We will not be able to make all the travel arrangements to Switzerland by July 28,” Karim told Cricinfo. “The visas have to be processed and documents have to be obtained.”

The IPL announced on Monday that Asif had tested positive for a banned substance, following

which the Pakistan Cricket Board suspended him.

Regards,

Sandesh Kumar