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NEWS Cricket World Cup 2007>ICC to 'target test' players for banned substances 01st Mar 2007 22.00 IST By Agencies International Cricket Council has decided to 'target test' players for banned substances during the Caribbean World Cup to prevent yet another dope embarrassment after the one involving pace duo Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif . The target tests will be in addition to ICC's commitment to randomly test four players – two from each side – in 17 of the tournament's 51 matches.
ICC Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Speed said the dope fiasco during the Champions Trophy had caused the game a major embarrassment and the target tests coupled with the random tests would help conduct a dope-free tournament. "We want to make absolutely sure that all players who take part in the ICC Cricket World Cup do so on the basis that they are free from banned substances," Speed said in a statement in Dubai today. "From an ICC perspective, having the option to target test as well as the already-scheduled tests in place means that if a player does have anything in his system then there is a very strong possibility he will be caught out," he said. "If that happens he will face a charge under the ICC Code of Conduct and his team mates will also suffer because it is extremely unlikely that the tournament Technical Committee would allow a replacement if a player is banned as a result of such a charge," Speed added. Akhtar and Asif were withdrawn from the Champions Trophy last year after they tested positive for nandrolone in Pakistan Cricket Board's internal dope tests overshadowing the tournament. "Both Shoaib Ahktar and Mohammed Asif have played for Pakistan over the past few months despite testing positive for prohibited substances last year," Speed said. "That is a fact neither player has disputed and it is also a fact that has caused the game a high level of embarrassment as a result," he said. But, the ICC CEO said, the tests indicated their commitment to World Anti-doping Agency's Code. "This underlines our continuing commitment to maintaining a zero tolerance of drugs in cricket and is also a further illustration of our sport's commitment to the WADA Code, which we signed in July 2006 following the agreement of our Members," he said. Also View In-Depth Coverage: Cricket World Cup 2007 Team Page: Pakistan Team Page: West Indies | LIVE CRICKET COVERAGE NEWS ~ Gilchrist has no plans to retire after World Cup ~ Ganguly's new batting approach may cost him sixer record ~ India 'squash the Orange' in World Cup warm-up game ~ Symonds gets a new hairdo for World Cup ~ Dhoni readies himself for stand-up act at World Cup (more in NEWS) FACE-TO-FACE ~ 500-mark a possibility in World Cup: Hayden ~ Minnows add charm to World Cup: Dravid (more in FACE-TO-FACE) COLUMNS ~ Will Sri Lanka replicate 1996 World Cup success? (more in COLUMNS) OFF-THE-FIELD ~ Ganguly again the darling of corporate world ~ Ganguly roped in as brand ambassador of Puma (more in OFF-THE-FIELD) PLAYERS Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble (more PLAYERS) TEAMS India, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, West Indies, Zimbabwe, England, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Kenya, Holland | 
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