ISLAMABAD: Banned Test cricketer Ahmed Shehzad put himself and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in a catch22 situation by sharing a Tweet that “he had spent a busy week playing for Muslim Gymkhana in friendly matches.”
The opening batsman is already serving a four-month ban for using banned drugs “cannabis”. He was handed over the ban starting from October 5, 2018 with a clear PCB’s instruction that ‘he cannot play any type of recognised cricket during this period’. However, against all the laid down rules, Ahmed was seen representing Muslim Gymkhana Club in friendly matches breaching the laid down rules by the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA).
The blunt breach not only invited WADA wrath, it also shock the board which in response issued a show cause notice to the batsman Thursday, hours after ‘The News’ approached them to give version on this serious breach.
“While handing over the ban he had been told in clear terms that he was not supposed to participate in any type of cricket coming under the PCB’s umbrella. We have received complaint that Ahmed has played club cricket. The PCB is about to issue him show cause notice as to why a disciplinary action should not be taken against him in wake of the blunt breach,” Raza Rashid, the PCB’s official spokesman said.
Hours later the PCB issued notice to the player that says: “Ahmed has been asked to explain why proceedings should not be initiated against him for apparently violating the terms of the Agreed Sanction Agreement entered into with PCB and the PCB Anti-Doping Rules by playing cricket whilst serving a period of ineligibility. Ahmed has been required to respond by or before October 25.”
‘The News’ has learnt that WADA has taken the issue seriously. When Dr Waqar Ahmad Chairman Anti-Doping Organization of Pakistan and Vice-Chairman Central Asia Anti-Doping Organization was approached, he said: “The determination of violation of ban needs a very careful assessment considering all the circumstances. The player’s trainer/coach should also be penalised if they have assisted him in violating the ban.”
“I think the proper way is to intimate all the concerned on the ban and its implications. In Ahmed case, the Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) should have been intimated by the PCB and in return the LCCA should have kept the concerned clubs in confidence. Nothing of that sort has happened,” Mian Aslam, chief organiser of Muslim Gymkhana, when approached, said.
Aslam added that he was asked by the PCB to submit club matches’ scorecard with the board which he did.
“I have submitted all the scorecards of club matches in which Ahmed played during last two weeks with the board but I want to ask why the club organisers were kept in the dark. We never thought that even playing friendly cricket is illegal for him,” Aslam said.
Ahmed, who left for Dubai a couple of days back, was not available for comments.
