PCB anti-doping tribunal verdict prejudiced, alleges Shoaib's lawyer

Lahore, Nov 27 (UNI) Shoaib Akhtar's lawyer has requested the PCB appellate commission to declare the Anti-doping Tribunal's verdict against the speedster 'null and void' as it was based on 'irrelevant' observations on the bowler's personal life.

The speedster is being representated by London-based lawyer Mark Gay in his appeal against the two-year ban imposed on him following a positive dope test. Fellow pacer Mohammad Asif was also banned for the same offence but only for a year. Asif has also appealed the ban imposed on him.

The anti-doping tribunal had made damaging observations about Shoaib's lifestyle and the tearaway pacer has now questioned the need to raise issues related to his private life.

One of the member of the three-man appeals commission, former Test off-spinner Haseeb Ahsan, has also supported the bowler's stand and said the tribunal should not have made the comments about Shoaib.

''What Shoaib has been doing in the past and whether he has been drinking or womanising is not what we are concerned with,'' Haseeb was quoted as saying by bigstarcricket.com.

''We just want more details on the products both players were supposed to have taken and the lawyers have promised to come back to us with those details,'' he added.

Haseeb promised a fair hearing of the appeals filed by the pace-duo.

''We have a very well respected judge sitting on our committee, he is a fair man who will help us come to a fair decision. When the lawyers come back to us on Monday with the details we will hopefully make a decision by Friday,'' he said.

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