Pakistan gets ICC clearance for World Cup replacements

KARACHI, Feb 7 (Reuters) Pakistan Cricket Board has got clearance from the sport's global governing body to replace any players in its World Cup squad who test positive in dope tests this month, a senior official said.

Pakistan will conduct out-of-competition tests on all 30 players it has named in its provisional World Cup squad in a bid to avoid a repeat of last year's scandal when fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif tested positive.

Akhtar and Asif tested positive for the banned substance nandrolone in tests before the Champions Trophy in India.

''We have got clarification from the ICC (International Cricket Council) on this issue,'' Saleem Altaf, Director cricket operations said.

''Replacements will be allowed (under) the 'special circumstances' clause of the World Cup participating nations agreement.'' Akhtar and Asif were banned for two and one years in November but cleared by an appeals tribunal of the PCB after a month and played in the test series in South Africa.

Altaf said all 30 players had been directed to report for dope tests in Lahore after the team returns from South Africa around February 15.

MEDICAL PANEL ''The tests would be conducted by our medical panel and the urine samples sent to Malaysia to the World Anti-Doping Agency accredited laboratory for results,'' Altaf said.

He said if any player tested positive he would be immediately replaced in the World Cup squad.

Teams must announce their final squads for the World Cup by February 13 with the tournament starting on March 13.

''''We have spoken to the ICC about this. Replacements must be from the provisional list of 30 players,'' said Altaf.

Pakistan were allowed to replace Shoaib and Asif in the Champions Trophy by the ICC after they were recalled from India.

It is not mandatory for participating nations in the World Cup to hold their own dope tests as the ICC will be carrying out random tests in the competition itself.

''We want to be sure we have no problems on this front in the tournament,'' said Altaf.

REUTERS PM VV1301