JAIPUR, India, 18 October 2006 — The International Cricket Council (ICC) urged all 10 full members yesterday to test for drugs following Pakistan’s decision to send two players home from the Champions Trophy after positive tests.
“The current situation is unfortunate but what we must do is use it as a springboard to move forward,” ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said in a statement. “Pakistan is one of five of our full members that are already testing their players outside of ICC events and I would urge those not already doing so to follow suit for the good of the game.” Speed’s comments came the day after Pakistan sent strike bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif home after they tested positive for the steroid nandrolone before the Champions Trophy.
Australia, England, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa boards have testing processes that comply with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) requirements while West Indies are set to start their own procedures soon. The other four full members are India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.
“The matter at hand now is an internal one for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and, having spoken to its chairman Dr Nazeem Ashraf, I am confident it will be handled with the appropriate thoroughness,” Speed said.
The ICC introduced random testing in its events in 2002 and became a signatory to the WADA code in July.
