Pakistan seamer Asif hauled up for 'suspect action'

Dubai: The promising career of Pakistan's leading paceman Mohammad Asif, who was banned two years ago for taking performance enhancing drugs, has hit a roadblock again.

This 25-year-old, who had to skip the last World Cup along with senior pro Shoaib Akhtar with a cloud of suspicion hanging over them, now looks a doubtful starter for the Asia Cup later this month.

Asif was detained at the Dubai International Airport on charges of possessing illegal drugs while returning to Pakistan after playing for Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League on Sunday.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has rushed their Human Resource Director Nadeem Akram to Dubai. He has also hired a lawyer to assist Asif, who is in custody for the last 48 hours at the detention centre of the Dubai International Airport.

"A contraband item was in Asif's wallet which he himself did not know. He was detained at the airport and was interrogated. Police has conducted several tests on Asif including a urine test. We have not been officially told about the nature of the substance," said Akram.

Later speaking to Geo Television, Akram said that Asif had been carrying a traditional medicine in his wallet. It was prescribed to him by a local ayurvedic practitioner for his elbow injury."

Dubai has a strict policy regarding possession of drugs and is a heavily punishable offence including imprisonment for several years.

No comments

The International Cricket Council (ICC) refused to comment on the matter. "We have no comment on this, especially as it appears to be police matter," Brian Murgatroyd, manager media and communication of the ICC told Gulf News.

The PCB held a press conference in Karachi and announced that they would consider Asif innocent until he is chargesheeted by Dubai authorities.

Shafqat Naghmi, the PCB Chief Organising Officer, said: "I am hopeful that the matter would be resolved soon and the whole affair would prove a big mistake."

When asked why the delay in getting the results, Naghmi could not give an answer, but only said that Dubai authorities are supervising things.

The PCB has also sought the help of the Pakistan Embassy in Dubai to get Asif released at the earliest.

Meanwhile, Express television, claiming to have talked to Asif, said that the pacer has been implicated following a drunken brawl with some officials at the Dubai airport.

This was denied by the PCB during the press conference.

Asif, has played in 11 Tests and taken 51 wickets and 36 wickets from 31 One-dayers.

On Monday, Asif was named in the Pakistan team to play in the triangular series against India and hosts Bangladesh from June 8.

In October 2006, Asif, along with Shoaib Akhtar tested positive in dope test. Though PCB had banned him for one year, the ban was overturned following an appeal from Asif a month later.

In-famous list

Celebrities detained for drug related crimes in Dubai

• March 2, 2008: German national, Kat T., a senior executive at a top UK television discharged of bringing in and possessing 0.03 grams of hashish.
• November 23, 2007: Renowned British disc jockey (DJ) Groovreider caught for illegally bringing in and possessing 2.16 grams of marijuana. He was sentenced to four years.
• September 2007: Top musician from New Zealand, only identified as B.A., detained for illegally bringing in and possessing 0.7 grams marijuana.
• June 2, 2007: Senior Indian executive, Harindra Singh, vice-chairman of Percept Holding, and his two associates detained at a hotel for possessing banned substances. The three were pardoned later.
• October 5, 2006, Dubai Court dismissed case against leading Mexican lawyer for illegally bringing in six seeds of Cannabis upon a ruler's pardon.
• May 19, 2006: American hip-hop producer Dallas Austin detained for possessing 1.26 grams cocaine and five-and-a-half capsules containing cocaine and an MDM drug. He was pardoned shortly after being convicted and sentenced to four years in jail.
• June 12, 2005: Indian fashion designer Prasad Bidappa detained carrying 2gm of marijuana (ganja).

- Bassam Za'za', Senior Reporter

Should cricketers be tested more frequently for using illegal drugs? Do you think VADA should play a more active role in the cricketing world? Tell us at letter2editor@gulfnews.com or fill in the form bellow to send your comments.