IPL tribunal reserves ruling in Asif dope case

Mumbai: The Indian Premier League (IPL) drug tribunal that heard tainted Pakistani fast bowler Mohmmad Asif in Mumbai on Saturday has reserved its verdict.

The hearing took place for over five hours at the Cricket Centre in the Wankhede Stadium and the decision of the panel will be announced later, a spokesman of the Indian cricket board said.

Delhi Daredevil's Pakistan import Mohammad Asif had tested positive for a banned substance in the inaugural IPL.

The IPL tribunal comprises former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar, advocate Shirish Gupte and medical specialist Ravi Bapat. Karachi-based lawyer Shahid Karim and a local Mumbai-based lawyer are fighting the case for Asif.

The hearing has been postponed twice earlier.

However, Asif has already been released from his Delhi Daredevils squad and even if the IPL bans him it will only be a technicality. Asif has already said that his entire forcus now is on retaining his place in the Pakistan team.

Asif tested positive in the drug tests conducted by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in July, 2008.

In 2006, he tested positive for the banned steroid Nandrolone on October 16, 2006, just before the ICC Champions Trophy in India and was withdrawn from the tournament by the Pakistan Cricket Board. It is an offence punishable by upto two years' ban on playing international cricket.

Several other cricketers have also been caught using performance enhancing drugs.

* Ian Botham: Suspended for smoking cannabis in 1986.

* Wasim Akram, Mushtaq Ahmed and Waqar Younis: Charged with possession of marijuana in 1993.

* Stephen Fleming , Matthew Hart and Dion Nash were fined and suspended for smoking cannabis in 1994

* Phil Tufnell was suspended and fined for failing to turn up for a drug test in 1997.

* Paul Smit was banned for two years for usage of cocaine in 1997.

* Keith Piper was banned and fined after testing positive for cannabis in 1997.

* Ed Giddins was caught taking cocaine in 1999.

* Herschelle Gibbs, Andre Nel, Justin Kemp, Paul Adams and Roger Telemachus were Fined for smoking marijuana during South Africa's tour of West Indies in 2001.

* Shane Warne was banned for a year after diuretic was detected before 2003 World Cup.

* Graham Wagg was banned for 15 months after admitting to cocaine use in 2004.