Pakistan bans first-class player for doping

Pakistan banned a first-class cricketer for two years Wednesday after he tested positive for a banned substance, the first ever doping ban in the country's domestic cricket. All-rounder Kashif Siddiq Khan captained the State Bank team in Pakistan's domestic competition and is the son of a respected first-class umpire. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said the 32-year-old violated the anti-doping code, but did not give details of what substance he had tested positive for. "Khan was found guilty of violating the PCB's anti-doping code and is hence banned for two years," a statement said. Former Pakistan pacemen Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif also failed dope tests in 2006, but the tests were conducted out of competition. Akhtar was banned for two years and Asif for one but the bans were overturned on appeals, a decision criticised worldwide. The PCB said Khan's dope test was conducted in November 2013 during the domestic Twenty20 cup competition. "An adverse analytical finding was reported by the National Dope Testing Laboratory in New Delhi, India, against the sample collected from Khan," the PCB said. Khan was provisionally suspended from participating in any form of cricket in January pending the proceedings of the Anti-Doping Tribunal. After personal hearings the tribunal found Khan guilty of violating the code and issued the ban, which is backdated to January 8, when his suspension began. Source: AFP