'The question of doping hasn't grown overnight'

David Howman We are looking at this case just like we would look at any other case before we decide whether we exercise any of our powers. The process is as follows: there is a 21-day period between the time when the decision is made available to us and the time when we have to appeal; in this time, we liaise with the international federation, which in this case is the ICC, to see what action they intend, or can make, before we make our decision. At present we are waiting to speak with the ICC.

DH I don't know what he said because I wasn't there when he said it. I can anticipate that he might be saying that it would be most unusual that athletes, who have in essence accepted that they had the banned substance in their bodies and who have not challenged the positive analysis by requesting that the B samples be analysed, should go without a sanction. This doesn't fit with the whole process that is in place globally. So, on the face of it, that is of some concern.

DH That's a matter for the ICC to comment on. What we do is deal directly with the international federations, and have been doing so with the ICC for some years. That has culminated in the final ICC doping protocol being put in place in July of this year. It is the international federation's responsibility to deal directly with their national federations. So we rely on the ICC to do that.

As far as Pakistan as a country goes, Pakistan has agreed to adopt the WADA code by signing the declaration that was written and approved by governments in Copenhagen in March 2003. So, as a country, Pakistan has agreed to adhere to all the details of the World Anti-Doping Code. We anticipate, therefore, that as a country, Pakistan would ensure its bodies which are conducting anti-doping activities on a national basis would do so in line with the Code. That is the responsibility of the Pakistani government.

DH The whole purpose of our organisation is to have harmony in every sport in every county. And we've achieved that with the writing of the code, which was the result of extensive consultation and consensus building, and the significant support of every country and every sport. So, yes, it has been done in such a way that it takes into account the diversity of culture and background. The issue you are probably raising is whether there is a difference in terms of information or education that ought to be given to those who live in some parts of the world? I don't think so. I don't think there should be any difference when you are dealing with international athletes because they are not just performing in their own backyard, they are performing on the international stage and they have already been performing in situations where the international rules have prevailed. So we operate strictly on the basis of liability and it is for the athletes to be fully apprised of their responsibilities.

The question of doping hasn't just grown up overnight and it is not just something that is new to the subcontinent. It has been before of the eyes of many of those who live in that part of the world for quite some time.

DH Cricket is a new member of the WADA family, with its international rules in place as of July this year. So it has a bit of ground to make up on many of the other federations who have had programmes in place for many years. I have total confidence that they will make up that ground. It won't happen overnight, it will have to happen under a considered programme and a considered policy that the ICC board will put into place.

DHThe reason for testing out of competition is there is a lot of evidence that would indicate that that's when players take banned substances, either to recover from niggling injuries (and they don't do this medically they do it outside of medical advice), or to bulk up, beef up, increase endurance and so on. So the suspicion is that is when the player will take the banned substances, and therefore it is the right time to be tested. Now the people responsible for the testing are not only the international federations but also the national anti-doping agencies in their respective countries. We would like to think they can work together and have a proper programme so that international standard athletes are tested at the right times.

DH It is a really good point. That's probably where the subcontinent can welcome and facilitate progress on the regional level. We have already worked very closely in many regions of the world to establish regional solutions. In the Caribbean for example we've helped that area of the world establish a regional anti-doping organisation so that it covers the various islands of the Caribbean and so that testing will now be done within the islands that make up the West Indies. For cricket, this means that the regional anti-doping program will be in place and available during cricket's World Cup next year.

We hope to visit India early next year to help India with their programme and the way in which they are running things. Of course that will include cricket. But not only cricket, because India is going to host the Commonwealth Games in 2010, among other events, and so we want to make sure that they get the benefit our experience and expertise.

The other parts of the subcontinent are likely to be part of other groups. Pakistan, for example, is part of a group of countries forming another regional anti-doping organisation with its headquarters likely to be in Tehran, Iran. So that will be a country that will be serviced even better in a regional capacity. We are looking to have similar projects in place for Sri Lanka and Bangladesh as part of our South Asia region. We are doing our part by planting the seed and facilitating discussions. We, of course, can only do so much. We then must rely on those who are on the ground in the individual countries to do the work and take ownership of their anti-doping programmes. We will make sure that they get plenty of information and plenty of guidance and expertise.

DH There are a number of programmes that we have that we can make available to the ICC or to any body in the countries to which you refer. One is the athlete outreach programme that we run at major events. We've a team at the moment in Doha at the 2006 Asian Games, set up in the athletes village, which is educating athletes who are participating in the Games. This is a programme that is available at a national level at no cost and involves a doping quiz as a teaching tool so that athletes become aware of some of the important issues related to the dangers and consequences of doping. There is another programme which is more values-based, targeted at getting materials into the schools for youth education. We are looking at that in terms of the part of the world you are referring to. We don't have the resource to go to every event or every match and we must rely on those who are responsible for the convening of such events to have the materials at their finger tips. We are more of a facilitator.

DH As a country, India should be aware of the issues raised and perception created when its athletes test positive, and we would expect that to spur progress in developing a strong anti-doping program that applies to all sports. That said, because of its popularity in India, cricket has a good opportunity to be a leader in the fight against doping in sport in India. For our part, WADA is working with the authorities in that country to establish best practices and quality programs.