Pakistan pair Shoaib and Asif sent home after failing drugs test

14 April 2012

Pakistan have sent home Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif from the ICC Champions Trophy after failing tests for performance-enhancing drugs, according to reports in the country.

It is claimed the findings come after tests carried out internally by team management and neither player will now take any part in the tournament in India.

Pakistan are due to begin their campaign against Sri Lanka in Jaipur tomorrow.

International Cricket Council chief executive Malcolm Speed said: "They were tests conducted by the PCB three weeks ago. They do this before each event. They weren't recreational drugs but that is all I can say at this stage."

Drugs in sport have become a huge issue in recent years but Speed insisted: "Cricket is generally regarded as a low-risk sport. The risk for cricket would be a player injured taking a substance inadvisedly to come back quickly."

The news comes after a turbulent couple of months for Pakistan cricket following The Oval ball-tampering fiasco, board upheaval and the resignation and re-appointment of Younis Khan as stand-in captain.

Shoaib and Asif are two of Pakistan's most potent weapons and made a huge difference to the side towards the end of the tour of England this summer after overcoming injury.

As a result of the test results, Pakistan have cancelled a training session for this morning and are due to make a statement at 8am BST. The ICC have signed up to the World Anti-Doping Agency's code and the players could face hefty bans.

Speed said: "We take a zero-tolerance approach to drugs. We are disappointed this has happened and disappointed for these players. We will get to the bottom of it."

Coach Bob Woolmer added: "The events have happened very fast. We haven't been able to discuss this as a team yet, we will do so this evening.

"Our job is to put behind us all the distractions and concentrate on playing the game tomorrow against Sri Lanka. We want to make sure we get the two points."

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