The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided not to take any disciplinary action against troubled pacer Mohammad Asif, even if he is penalised by the drugs inquiry tribunal of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for his alleged doping offence in the inaugural edition of the Twenty20 tournament.

“It is like double jeopardy. You can’t punish a man twice for the same crime. If the IPL tribunal does not clear him from the doping offence obviously he is going to face a long ban and the PCB does not come into the picture,” a senior PCB official said.

He also made it clear that the board had rejected Asif’s plea for the release of his central contract payments this year. “We have looked into his request and got legal opinion. The fact is that presently he remains suspended from all forms of cricket and until the IPL tribunal reaches a decision we can’t do anything for him,” he said.

Asif was due to appear before the IPL tribunal on November 29 and 30, but the hearing was called off because of the terror attacks in Mumbai and the inquiry tribunal is yet to convey fresh dates to the pacer.

Asif, playing for Delhi Daredevils, had tested positive for a banned substance during the semi finals of the IPL earlier this year. His ‘B’ sample also came positive but the traces of substance varied in both the tests, leading his lawyer to challenge the procedure of the tests adopted by the IPL.

... contd.