CAS rejects WADA appeal over Pakistan Fast Bowling Duo

LAUSANNE, Switzerland: World sport’s highest tribunal has rejected an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency to reinstate a ban on Pakistan cricketers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport said Monday it has no jurisdiction to rule in the dispute between WADA and the Pakistan Cricket Board, which overturned Akhtar’s one-year ban and Asif’s two-year ban for doping.

The decision means the two fast bowlers can continue to compete in matches. They tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone in October.

CAS said it reached its conclusion “with some considerable regret.” The PCB’s statutes would have to contain a direct reference to the tribunal for it to be able to act in the case, CAS said.

With this decision – a chapter of doping has finally (hopefully) closed for Shoaib Akhter & Muhammad Asif – both bowlers missed ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 in which Pakistan suffered a humiliating loss from cricket minnows Ireland, which followed the tragic death/murder of their coach late Bob Woolmer.

Courtesy: International Herald Tribune

Doping or Fitness? – Pak Pace Duo out of World Cup

News of Pakistan’s Pace Duo, Shaoib & Asif getting out of World Cup Squad is a  Chapter closed? or a prologue of another mysterious, typical pakistani styled play – Courtesy Pakistan Cricket Board.

Whether the End or the Begining – Brutal time will unfold itself in future – BUT It certainly has jolted already shaken and jarred Pakistan Cricket Team.

“Ambitious” Pakistan cricket team for World CUp 2007 has already been struck by harsh, barbarous, cruel and vicious (whatever you name it) arrows/bullets/missiles of doping & fitness – All Rounder Abdul Razzaq is already out of the squad.

Instead of waiting till the last moment – PCB sould have prepared its team well in advance  to play championship without their main battery. A badly moralled team has departed for the Caribbean.

Uncertainty about these electrons of Pakistan Cricket Team has ended now. Team management now comes to know that they’ll have to play worldcup without their narcotized bowlers.

Had it been clear earlier – team management, poor bulky Inzi, aged and senesced Woolmer would have devised a better strategy. But as they handeled their doping matter – they handeled this matter in a pathetic, ill-managed, poor, Ghattya manner.

Opposition teams would certainly be more than happy that they won’t be facing bullets, snaky red cherry and toe crushers.

If this had to be the fate of Asif & Shoaib – what was sense in setting up an appellate court tribunal and getting them cleared of doping charges – what did we get by getting humiliating critique of WADA, ICC, International Media, Court etc.

Would PCB again do something which is beyond anyone’s imagination – They’ll wait for the nandrolone to drain out of their bodies with another diuretic or by natural healing process like Arq e Bazuri (herbal syrups) and would call them to the World Cup – anything can happen!

Let me share a few couplets from one of my all time favorite poem.
What we call the beginning is often the end
and to make and end is to make a beginning.

The end is where we start from.

And every phrase and sentence that is right
(Where every word is at home,
Taking its place to support the others,
The word neither diffident nor ostentatious,
An easy commerce of the old and the new,
The common word exact without vulgarity,
The formal word precise but not pedantic,
The complete consort dancing together)

Every phrase and every sentence is an end and a beginning,
Every poem an epitaph