Akhtar, Asif appear at PAK doping tribunal

LAHORE, Pakistan, Oct 21, 2006 (AFP) -

Suspended Pakistani pacemen Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif appeared Saturday before a tribunal probing their doping case, and were asked to submit written statements, an official said.

Barrister Shahid Hamid chaired the tribunal which also included former captain and coach Intikhab Alam. Third tribunal member Waqar Ahmed, a doctor and doping expert, could not attend the meeting as his flight was delayed.

Akhtar and Asif were sent home from the Champions Trophy in India on Monday after their urine samples tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone. Their 'B' samples are yet to be examined.

The pair reached Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) headquarters at Gaddafi stadium early Saturday to record their statements separately.

“The hearing lasted around four hours as we had to do some initial work and then heard Akhtar and Asif. We have given them reports of their tests and have asked them to submit their written statements in the next hearing,” Hamid told reporters.The next hearing is scheduled to be held on October 26.

The tribunal is expected to take two weeks to return its findings and recommendations to the PCB, which will then take a final decision.

“I cannot predict any time frame but would try to reach the conclusion as early as possible. We will give fair chance to both the players and then submit our report to the PCB,” Hamid said earlier.