Bringing the Doping Offenders to Justice
Drugs and cricket go hand in hand. There isn't a single team in the history of cricket whose image hasn't been tarnished by association with drugs at one point or another. Pakistani cricketers have been caught a number of times with illegal substances yet they somehow manage to avoid the consequences.
Mohammad Asif and Shoaib Akhtar are two players who have been caught red-handed often. In October 2006, both were pulled out of the Champions Trophy by the PCB after being tested positive for Nandrolene, a drug that improves player performance. The PCB seemed to have its heart set upon punishing the two. It took action immediately in the aftermath of the scandal by handing down suspensions to both players as well as including them in the list of doping offenders. However both pleaded against the ban and both were later acquitted by the tribunal. Later, WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) protested against the decision and went as far as taking the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. They were supported by ICC which also severely condemned Asif and Akhtar for their actions.
In 2007, Asif and Akhtar were again pulled out of the 2007 Cricket World Cup due to traces of Nandrolone found in their system. The PCB desperately tried to cover up by blaming the player's injuries for their absence. And in June 2008, Asif was caught at the Dubai International Airport on grounds of carrying banned substances. He was withdrawn from the tri-series played in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747 and Sohail Khan got to play in his stead. Later, the charges against him got dropped and the only repercussion he had to face for his actions was that he was banned from the UAE forever. However the IPL admitted that he had been tested positive for drugs during the tournament and he again landed himself a one year ban from international cricket.
What is quite amusing is the kind of excuses the players come up with after being caught to avoid the consequences of their actions. Asif, for instance, claimed he had no knowledge of the substance and was dealt a less severe suspension than Akhtar. He went as far as blaming the general illiteracy in Asia regarding medicines which, according to him, results in players taking substances regarding the effects of which they are not entirely informed. This claim brings a bad name to PCB for it makes it seem as if the institution hasn't taught its boys the fundamental dos and don'ts of the game. As an Asian, one may not be that well informed regarding drugs but as a cricketer it becomes one's job to be well informed.
In retrospect the most shocking aspect of this entire business is the fact that the offenders usually manage to somehow circumvent the laws. Since they have time and again proven their addiction to the banned substances, they should be banned from cricket once and for all. Constantly allowing them to bypass the law makes them feel above the law and this is what results in them committing the same offense again. It also sets a poor example for the rest of the team members in addition to bringing a bad name for the country. Perhaps the England Batsman Andrew Strauss said it all when he said:
"When drugs are used in any sport, it is not a great day for that sport and this is not a great day for cricket."
Tags: