ICC confirms notification of IPL ban on Asif

The ICC on Wednesday confirmed that it had been notified of the Indian Premier League drugs tribunal’s decision to impose a one-year ban on Pakistan pacer Mohammad Asif for failing a dope test but refused comment, saying it still had to consider the “reasons” for the move.

The 26-year-old was banned for a year on Wednesday, months after testing positive for nandrolone during the IPL semifinals.

“The ICC has yet to consider the written reasons for the decision in the matter and will make no further comment at this stage other than to confirm its expectation that all Member Boards will adopt the ban and as such the player will not be available for official cricket until the ban has been completed,” the governing body said in a statement.

Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat reiterated the ICC’s zero tolerance policy toward dope offenders.

“As an international governing body, the ICC maintains a zero tolerance in the area of doping. We are proud of the fact that we have been testing at our events since 2002 and in that time we are yet to have an adverse analytical finding,” Lorgat said.