Asif trying to hire English medical expert to plead case

Mohammad Asif, the Pakistan fast bowler, is trying to hire the services of Dr Graham Durgan, a sports medicine expert from England, to plead his case against the dope charges after he tested positive for a banned substance during the Indian Premier League.

"Nothing is final as yet," Shahid Karim, Asif's lawyer, told Dawn. "But we are holding talks to secure the services of Dr Durgan." Asif had also tried to hire Mark Gay, who is an anti-doping expert, but didn't receive a response from the British lawyer.

Asif had asked for the B sample test, which was scheduled for July 28 at a World Anti-Doping Agency accredited laboratory in Switzerland, to be postponed in order to give him time to prepare his case and make travel arrangements. Karim said that they had sent two requests for postponement to the IPL, who hadn't accepted or rejected the request.

The IPL doping case is not the only cloud currently hovering over Asif. His 19-day detention in Dubai for allegedly carrying a banned substance is also the subject of a separate inquiry within the Pakistan board. Reports from Dubai authorities on the matter have finally been received by the PCB and Asif has been asked to attend a hearing in Lahore on Thursday.

"We have received reports from Dubai regarding Asif's detention there and will now be hearing the player's side of the story," PCB chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi, one of the committee members, told The News. He said that the committee could take a decision on Asif after the hearing.

Asif was in detention in Dubai from June 1 to 20 for suspected possession of an illegal substance. The case against him was dropped by the Dubai public prosecutor on the grounds of insignificance, though it was speculated that behind-the-scenes help had been provided by the Pakistan government and the board, who share close ties with the monarchy in the UAE.