PAKISTAN: CRICKET - Cricket fans in Karachi express sadness at the doping allegations against Pakistan's pace bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif

Many Pakistanis uttered expression of disappointment and grief on Tuesday (October 17), a day after a doping scandal rocked the country. Pakistan pace bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif were withdrawn from the Champions Trophy earlier on Monday after they tested positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone. In Pakistan's larget city of Karachi, many people were drawn on newspaper kiosk to see the blaring headlines. "What should be done with them is that they (the players) should be banished from cricket like they have been recalled (from the Champions Trophy) so no other player can dare to do such things in future. Today they have called them back, tomorrow they will take them back (to cricket) and this will be an encouragement for others to do the same kind of things in future. They will be out from a tournament for a month or two then they will return (to cricket) again.,"said Jamal Khan, a cab driver, annoyed. Some people said the scandal has brought a bad name to Pakistan. "It's really sad to learn through newspapers that our team (players) have used drugs. The second thing is that the elders in the team like the coach and others were unaware of this thing and didn't take any measures before hand. The players themselves should have been careful and cautious about everything that could bring a bad name to their country. Now they have returned which is very shameful for us,"said Shakeel Ahmed who works as a salesman at a store. Shoaib and Asif will face an inquiry from the PCB after returning home and under International Cricket Council (ICC) anti-doping regulations could be banned for two-years for a first violation. Shoaib Akhtar and pace bowler Mohammad Asif arrived in Lahore on Monday (October 16) from the Champions Trophy in India after he and fellow tested positive for nandrolone. Akhtar avoided speaking to the media as he left Lahore international airport. Although WADA guidelines stipulate two-year bans for first time offenders, the players' statements could have a bearing. Pakistan meet Sri Lanka on Tuesday (October 17) in their opening group B tie. Shoaib Akhtar denied on Monday knowingly taking any performance-enhancing drugs after testing positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone. Akhtar said he had always played the game fair and given 100 percent and never felt the need to take any drugs to help his bowling.

ITN Source | October 18, 2006

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