Shoaib, Asif can continue to play, says CAS

Lahore, Jan 11 (UNI) Since the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) did not file any stay application to restrain them, dope-tainted pace duo of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammed Asif can not be prevented from playing, said the Court of Arbitration for Sports(CAS).

CAS Secretary-General Matthieu Reeb told Voice of America from Lausanne, Switzerland, that none of the pacers had been suspended and they could continue to play.

''...WADA, while filing appeals against the acquittal of Shoiab and Asif, has not filed any stay application restraining the athletes from taking part in competitions. Therefore, both Shoaib and Asif are not suspended for the time being. Thus both can take part in international competitions,'' he said.

Shoaib and Asif were slapped bans after testing positive for banned nandrolone before an appeal committee lifted the ban. WADA, subsequently, challenged the decision in the CAS.

Asif has been included in the Pakistan team to tour South Africa while Shoaib was pencilled in as Umer Gul's cover.

Pakistan Cricket Board, however, is resisting the taking up of the case by the CAS, claiming that WADA and CAS lacked jurisdiction and authority to intervene in what it termed its internal matter of the PCB, which is not a signatory to WADA anti-doping code.

UNI