Thursday, July 2, 2009

Asif fined after drugs incident

Mohammad Asif
Asif is currently serving a drugs ban for another unrelated incident

Mohammad Asif has been fined 1m rupees (£7,500) by the Pakistan Cricket Board after being found in possession of opium at Dubai Airport last year.

The pace bowler said he did not realise there was opium contained in a herbal remedy he was carrying but was detained for 19 days before being released.

"Asif has accepted our decision and he feels he made a mistake," said the head of the inquiry committee Wasim Bari.

"It was our unanimous decision that he should be handed a financial penalty."

Asif, 26, has taken 51 wickets in 11 Tests and claimed 36 dismissals from 31 one-day internationals.

He is currently serving a one-year ban after testing positive for nandrolone playing in the Indian Premier League last year.

That suspension ends before the start of this year's Champions Trophy in South Africa, and the PCB says it will consider him for selection when his ban expires.

Previous to the current suspension, in 2006 he was banned for a year by the PCB after testing positive for nandrolone, but it was overturned on appeal.

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