PAKISTAN: CRICKET: Shoaib Akhtar, Pakistan's banned bowler, denies taking drugs or hitting the team's coach

Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar said on Thursday (November 9) that he was innocent of the doping offence which earned him a two-year ban by the International Cricket Council (ICC). "Why would I take performance enhancing drugs? Why, especially at this point in my career. I have already broken the fastest delivery record. I have achieved so much for the country.... that too just for 13 nano grams, those who are caught are caught for levels as high as 150-200 nano grams," he said in Lahore on Thursday. Shoaib was recalled from the Champions Trophy last month by the PCB after he tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone. He was banned for two years last week for the doping offence, a suspension against which he is appealing. The fast bowler also refuted allegations that he had slapped team coach Bob Woolmer. "These things have never ever happened within the Pakistan cricket team. We live together nearly nine months of the year, in harmony. There are, obviously, small misunderstandings along the way but it has never come to anyone hitting someone else," he said. An Indian security officer alleged that Shoaib Akhtar had slapped Woolmer while the team was in India last month for the Champions Trophy cricket tournament. Anil Kaul, the security officer in charge of the Pakistan team at the recent tournament in India, told Indian television channels on Wednesday that Akhtar had slapped Woolmer on the team bus. The Pakistan Cricket Board said on Thursday it would push the International Cricket Council (ICC) to take tough action against Kaul. Saleem Altaf, the Pakistan Cricket Board's director of cricket operations, said the issue was not whether Kaul's allegations were true, but that he had breached a strict secrecy code required of all match and team officials at any time. He said the PCB had also spoken to team manager Talat Ali who had denied any such incident took place. Kaul alleged that Shoaib struck Woolmer after they quarrelled over what music should be played on the team bus in Jaipur. Woolmer also rubbished the Kaul claim, saying he enjoyed a very good relationship with the Pakistani players. In India Woolmer has earned the anger of cricket fans in the northern city of Kanpur where he was born. After he rejected the claims of Kaul, the Indian security officer, the Indians took exception to his words and burned an effigy of Woolmer in the street. Despite playing for England, and coaching Pakistan and South Africa, Woolmer was born in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh in 1948.

ITN Source | November 10, 2006

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