Doping scandal rocks Indian Premier League
14 July, 2008
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KARACHI: A sensational dope test scandal on Sunday hit the Indian Premier League (IPL) when it was revealed that a fast bowler from the sub-continent has tested positive for an illegal performance-enhancing substance while featuring in the billion-dollar contest.
The shocking news came just days after the International Cricket Council (ICC) Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) chief Sir Paul Condon said the IPL was vulnerable to corruption, just like times when Sharjah was hosting international matches.
According to an Indian website, a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) official has confirmed that a pacer from the sub-continent has become the first player to fail the random dope tests conducted during the IPL.
Later, sources told ‘The News’ that the chief suspect seems to be Pakistan pacer Mohammad Asif, who featured for the Delhi Daredevils.
Asif had tested positive for banned anabolic steroid nandrolone during the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy in India. More recently, he spent 19 days in a Dubai detention centre for possessing a banned contraband item. The lanky pacer is still facing a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) inquiry into that incident.
Another Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar also has a poor track record when it comes to substance abuse as he also failed a dope test along with Asif.
According to details, a WADA affiliated team from Sweden conducted random tests during the IPL but only from May 18 — a month after the tournament kicked off.
The WADA official and the ICC have confirmed to cricketnirvana.com that one sample indeed tested positive, but the identity of the player is unclear. According to the source the samples arrive with a code given to each player to protect their identity.
The WADA have written a letter to the ICC, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the IPL informing them about the failed drug test along with the code of the player. The code for each player is decided by the organizers — in this case the IPL — and so the identity is known only to them.
But surprisingly, when contacted IPL CEO Sundar Raman, claimed that they were yet to receive the results of the tests. “We should get it (results) very shortly,” said Raman. This is surprising because usually the results of the tests conducted by the WADA are obtained within a week to a fortnight and it’s already been more than six weeks since the IPL ended.
Throughout the tournament, two players from each team after a match were randomly picked through a draw by the rival team managers and were asked to appear for dope tests.
If it is indeed proved right, the IPL has a major embarrassment to deal with, because it is still unclear what penalties can be imposed on the erring player. At least three players playing the IPL, Shane Warne (Rajasthan Royals), Shoaib Akhtar (Kolkata Knight Riders) and Asif (Delhi Daredevils) have been banned in the past by their respective boards for failing drug tests.
There were also news reports about Shoaib carrying syringes on his way to India to play the IPL.
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