IANS

Dubai, Jul 4: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday said it has closed the doping chapter relating to Pakistani players Shoaib Akhtar-Mohammed Asif, but has armed itself with greater powers to make national boards comply with the new and more stringent rules.

As per the recent amendments in its doping rules, ICC now has a "right of appeal if a member that is not WADA-compliant makes a decision, which is inconsistent with the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) code," ICC announced here.

Following the announcement by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that it has no jurisdiction to decide the dispute between WADA and Akhtar and Asif, ICC's acting chief executive Faisal Hasnain said the chapter was closed.

"We note the CAS decision of July 2 and we also note and acknowledge its regret that it could not act in this case. As far as we are concerned the matter is now closed," said Hasnain, who is also the ICC financial officer.

The Switzerland-based CAS dismissed the appeal filed by WADA against a decision of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) anti-doping appeals committee on December 5 last year. The CAS has considered that it has no jurisdiction to decide the dispute between the WADA and the PCB, which had in 2006 initially banned Akhtar for two years and Asif for one year.

The two fast bowlers were banned after a metabolite of nandrolone showed up in their urine samples. "Following this case, we have amended the ICC anti-doping code to ensure we have more powers to intervene if we feel a member is not doing all it can in the fight against drugs in cricket," Hasnain, who is officiating for Malcolm Speed who is on leave, said in a statement.

"In line with the amendments, the ICC now has a right of appeal if a member that is not WADA-compliant makes a decision which is inconsistent with the WADA code.

"Furthermore, while such an appeal is pending, the relevant players can be target tested by the ICC up to 60 days before one of our events," the statement added. Hasnain said that the ICC's member services department is in close contact with all members on the drugs issue.

"We have recently appointed a full-time officer whose job it is to liase with our members and WADA in all anti-doping matters and to ensure the countries that take part in ICC events understand the importance of delivering player education in a timely and effective manner," he said.

Pointing out that the ICC began drug testing in 2002, Hasnain said that since then, there had been no positive drug test at any ICC-organised events.

"That is not to say we can be complacent - far from it - and we are engaged in a robust campaign to make sure all our members become WADA-compliant by 2009 at the latest," he said.

"This date has been moved forward from an original deadline of 2010 and we are encouraging our members to get their anti-doping protocols in place as soon as possible.

In the meantime, we will continue carrying out drug tests at our events, including the next one, the World Twenty20 Championship in South Africa in September."