Drugs and the IPL lack damage control

Why is it, there was no genuine surprise when Pakistan's Mohammad Asif's name popped up on the drug grid yet again.

This time as the first, and so far only name, the Indian Premier League have on their list of players who were tested and turned out to be positive.

After the embarrassing Dubai episode, where he said to pass the time he would watch so-called sport they referred to as 'football' and where there is even more corruption, (easy money creates such a problem).

While Asif fumbles with this latest problem, this particular issue is not going to go away in a hurry. It is the proverbial evil that lurks in the shadows and no matter the denials, his past record explains yet again why the Pakistan Cricket Board need to probe this latest in what have been a series of disturbing allegations.

It doesn't help Pakistan or the millions of decent players in the system to have to learn how this ugly monkey on the back has climbed out of the fog and is pointing a finger in a variety of directions.

Certainly Pakistan, hoping to stage the Champions Trophy, and in this, the portents are looking good that it will take place as scheduled in the three cities designated. But what they don't need is the continual doubts over Asif and the drug issue.

It was while flying home via Dubai that he was caught with a mixture of substances that needed a medical script; as he didn't have one, it blew into an embarrassing diplomatic faux pas as some of those involved tried to claim it was all a 'misunderstanding.' If Asif being deported is bad enough, instead of taking up valuable court time over the charges certainly were not a misunderstanding.

Certainly those doing the IPL tests don't think it is a 'misunderstanding'. Just how factual are the comments that he was tested negative twice during the seven week long IPL yawn only those doing the tests can say.

So far, this has not been commented on. All that has been said is that the World Anti-Doping Agency, who nailed another drug cheat Marion Jones to her metaphorical crucifixion, found drug traces in one of his samples. He escaped the Court of Arbitration for Sport probe because of certain jugglery and International Cricket Council compliance over the matter of appeal.

And as this issue is mulled over, and the ICC's anti corruption and security unit's report that T20 is becoming a source of illegal betting concern, administrations don't seem to care too much about this threat.