Performance-enhancing drugs can do very little for a player in a skills game like cricket. Pakistani pacer Mohammad Asif may have ruined his career because of doping scandal, says CNN-IBN’s Chief Cricket Correspondent Nishant Arora in web chat with IBNLive readers.
Kalyan: Do you believe all Indian Cricketers are innocent when it comes to drugs or is it just that no one has been caught?
Nishant Arora: No one is caught and they have given various tests. So as of now, we can safely say that they are not involved, touch wood!
Vivek: Don’t you think ICC should step in and have a very stringent rule on dope before drugs starts ruling cricket. Moreover, Asif played the entire IPL (thinking he was doped) he has boosted his performance. What if Delhi Daredevils had won the IPL and Md. Asif was named man of the series? This might happen at the World Cup.
Nishant Arora: The ICC follows WADA guidelines, which are used in every other game. If authorities procedure with honesty and integrity, that should be enough.
Ganesh: Do you think Pakistan should have handled the previous doping case strictly, so that it would not have repeated again?
Nishant Arora: Absolutely! By not taking strict actions against kantar and as if, they send a wrong message. They should also share the blame for this
Guru: I Nishant, there were people telling that the authorities of IPL should not have disclosed the name of the concerned person (Asif) until the sample B is also tested. What does revealing a person's name after testing the first sample has got to do with it?
Nishant Arora: There was some confusion over this. But rules are clear, if a sample comes positive, after giving details to player and his board authorities can go public. So the BCCI didn't cross the line.
Shashank: We cannot blame the great game of cricket. game will never loose, the only loser are these cricketers. isn’t it?
Nishant Arora: Yes, you are spot on. The game is bigger than the individuals.
Krutika: Hello Nishant, dopes are substances used to enhance performance but Asif\'s performance in the IPL was forgettable. What can the reason behind this be?
Nishant Arora: Krutika, drugs have very little effect on cricket performances, its still very skill oriented game.
Ritesh: Hi Nishant, you are my favorite cricket correspondent.
Nishant Arora: Thanks Ritesh!
Saubsp: Any relation of Asif being caught in Dubai with some drugs and needles to his testing positive have been drawn yet?
Nishant Arora: He was found with drugs but no needles. We still don't know what substance was found in his test or what he was carrying in Dubai. So we can't draw any parallels at this moment. But one can't rule out that possibility.
Krutika: Asif used banned substances, which are supposed to enhance a player’s performance. Inspite of using them Asif’s performance in the IPL was forgettable. What could be the reason to this? Does it prove that Asif does not have any talent to showcase?
Nishant Arora: Asif is a very talented cricketer and as I have said earlier in a game like cricket, performance-enhancing drugs can do very little. It was stupid of Asif to do this again and again. He just took things for granted and this time I am sure he will pay the price.
Kaly: I guess drug scandal doesn’t affect cricket too much as it is only the bad boys of the game who are often caught in such cases. What’s your opinion on this?
Nishant Arora: The game is always bigger then the individuals. Players like Warne, Asif, Botham or Akhtar don't go to bed with Bournvita in there hands. Like in every walk of life, cricket has all kind of characters. But one must not forget they are where they are because of the game and they should avoid crossing that line, which often is very bleak.
Vivek: What if B sample shows negative report? Will still Asif hold good to play cricket?
Nishant Arora: Then matter ends there and then only. He can play cricket again but that is really rare. I haven't heard of any case, where sample B has come negative
Neha: Can we say that cricket is no more a gentleman's game and is in tatters due to all the add ones like money, drugs, fame or is it that even earlier these things were there. just that the media was not that strong.
Nishant Arora: I think it's bit of both. These are side effects of money and glamour, players will get in these kind of traps, at the same time media also has played its part. Things like this use to happen in past as well. But at time it wasn't cricket didn't make headlines everyday. It was just game. But unfortunately cricket is an industry now.
Pooja: Do u think Asif is being made a scapegoat because of his previous case?
Nishant Arora: No way Pooja, Asif is serial offender now. He comes across to me as someone who has taken his position for granted. He didn't get hefty ban first time and did the same thing again. How many times can you do this and then say ‘I am Innocent and naïve’ or ‘some local Hakim gave me this.’
Shravan:
Nishant Arora: That would be an ideal scenario, but it doesn't work like that. Samples are tested in WADA labs outside India. And it takes 4 to 6 weeks to get results.
Raza: Pakistan cricket board has no option except to ban Asif. Pakistan team is going down and this type of setback will really throw Pakistan cricket in the wilderness.
Nishant Arora: You are right Raza, but most of their problems are self invited. They didn’t take strict action first time. They didn't educate their players and now this issue has become too big for them. I would love to see a strong and problem-free Pakistan cricket. But that is not happening at the moment. and unfortunately people who make decisions are self-indulgent at this moment. Pakistan cricket needs a strong leader like Imran to come back and save them.
Mohit: The presence of drugs in sports is for real. It is only in India that we feign surprise and shock. But it is no secret that athletes and other sportspersons have been using drugs. Why is the media, especially the Indian media, reacting as if this is the first bust? Performance enhancement drugs have also been in use for a while. So, what exactly is the big deal?
Nishant Arora: You right that this not the first time a player is caught for taking drugs and I am sure it won’t be last time as well, even in western world when the player is caught, its a big deal. Remember tour de France winner Floyd Landis or Ben Johnson?
Neha: Does the punishment given varies according to the status and stature of the player involved?
Nishant Arora: Going by law, it doesn’t make a difference Neha. There is a procedure in place, quantum of banned substance, history of cricketer and in what circumstances he has taken those drugs are taken in account before giving ban or punishing the player.
Deepak G: So now everyone knows that Asif and Shoaib are guilty , does the Pakistan police question them about the source of drugs and all that. Drugs are such social evils and these cricketers after attaining such cult status must act responsibly.
Nishant Arora: I think Pakistan police has nothing to do with it. But yes, these players should understand their responsibilities and should be very careful. You won't like your kids to follow star who is serial drug offender.
Raghavendra: Don't you feel that the awareness about drugs is pretty less when comes to all sub-continent players?
Nishant Arora: Yes that's true, compared to western countries drug awareness in sub-continent is very little. Proper guidance, side effects of it and other things should be described to every player and if needed in his mother tongue. Self-medication should also be avoided.
Ritesh: I have seen mostly Pakistani players are involved in doping? Or shall I say in cricket doping is not being checked seriously?
Nishant Arora: Ritesh I think you just joined the chat, I have answered this question just now, they certainly need to rethink about their stance on doping and how are they going to deal with it.
Ansh: Do the cricket bosses have the courage to ban drug offenders in cricket - across the cricket playing countries there have been instances when the offenders have got away - be it Shoaib or Md. Asif before the Champions Trophy in 2006, Shane Warne before the world cup, Gibbs and Nel at the beach smoking marijuana.
Nishant Arora: PCB let off Asif and Akhtar and they are paying the price. Warne was banned for one year, even Ian Botham was banned for three months after accepting he smoke recreational drug. So it’s not that every offender escapes the ban.
Prakash: What is the process of a dope test? And in case a player is suspended or banned, what is the appeal process?
Nishant Arora: It’s very simple, after every game, authorities (in this case IPL) can pick two players randomly. Their urine samples are taken twice. One is called sample A and other - Sample B. First they test sample A. If it comes positive then the player can ask for sample B test and this time player can monitor the entire proceedings with his representatives. If that also come positive, his case will go to drug tribunal and they will decide the quantum of his punishment.
Ashish: How come Asif was able to play in IPL even when he was using the drugs?
Nishant Arora: IPL started their drug test only around May 18 and Asif's sample was taken on May 30. After that, it takes four to six weeks for results to come..
Zaheer: Do you think that lot of cricket being played in the sub-continent, thereby leading some players for performance boosting drugs. As they are not assured once they are injured, they automatically don’t get a choice to be in the playing eleven once fit.
Nishant Arora: That is certainly one factor, especially with fast bowlers. Fast bowling is the toughest job in cricket and fast bowlers are bound to get injured and in sub-continent they don’t have sense of security. So they go for these options.
Harish: What about IPL if he get banned by PCB is there any chance that he will play in IPL or it might be a case that he may think to join ICL. In that case will ICL allow Asif to play for them?
Nishant Arora: No way he can play IPL. ICL won’t mind having him, but then his international career is over.
Manish: Why is that only players from Pakistan are found positive whenever doping tests are done? Is there something fundamentally wrong in the Pakistan system?
Nishant Arora: One can not make a sweeping statement but off late Pakistan cricketers are guilty of crossing that line. It has something to do with their system, for example PCB should have given severe punishment to Akhtar and Asif earlier, and that must have sent a wrong message. One must not forget that these players come from very humble background and have very little education, so they need proper guidance from board and seniors. At the same time, nowadays days cricketer becomes a star overnight and feels he can get away with anything.
Jonathan: Do you think Asif\'s cricketing career has met it’s dead-end?
Nishant Arora: I think he will be banned this time for minimum two years, and after that lot will depend on his own desire, his fitness and how much Pakistan cricket needs him.
Deepak G: How do these drugs enhance performance especially in cricket? Do they take it because they are addicted or does it really do any good?
Nishant Arora: I have played little bit of cricket myself on national level, and I am 100 per cent sure, drugs can't help cricketer with his skills, someone like Warne or for that matter Asif, are naturally talented. So drugs can't help Warne to spin big, or Asif to swing the ball, it has something to with bad advise, lack of knowledge. I am sure these cricketers are told by someone that if you take these drugs you will recover quickly and that is the trap. But one should not be surprised, glamour and money will bring these kind of things.
Nilesh: Will Asif be banned or will he get away again?
Nishant Arora: Going by what I am learning from my sources in Pakistan, he will get banned for two years. Pakistan cricket needs Asif and I would love to see him bowling again at some stage, but not before he completely understands that you can't be a drug addict and play this game and be role model. This time he should be punished and then PCB should not leave him to deal with his own problems, they should support him to recover from these things.
Diandra: Asif is such a great bowler. Why does he involve himself in such things?
Nishant Arora: It has something to do with education, background, and how you can handle or I will rather say tolerate your success. Asif come from a very humble background, and when I saw him bowling first time I said -- 'wow what a talent.' I am sure none of these banned substances are helping his abilities to swing the ball both ways. Cricket is played in the mind and that’s where most of these cricketers made or break.
Kartik: Are the sub-continental boards too lenient? Look at Cricket Australia; Warne never got a real shot at captaincy because of all the controversies he stirred?
Nishant Arora: Yes, I think they are specially PCB, look at ECB or Cricket Australia, didn’t take time to punish cricketers like Ian Botham and Shane Warne, we still have this mindset where decision making sways to public sentiments and political clout matters a lot.
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