'Cricket doesn't need another black eye'

Decision sad but for the best - Border

Cricinfo staff

March 2, 2007

Allan Border would "feel genuinely sorry" for Shoaib Akhtar if his World Cup absence was purely because of injury © Getty Images

The absence of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif from the World Cup could mean cricket avoids "another black eye", according to Allan Border. Pakistan dropped the pair from their 15-man squad on Thursday, citing lingering injuries, but the decision came just hours after the ICC announced it could target specific players with its drug-testing at the tournament.

Border said Shoaib and Asif, who tested positive to banned substances late last year and had their suspensions overturned, would cause the sport serious problems if they re-offended. "If it were to be true that it wasn't an injury, and it turned out be something else, then it would be better for all concerned that they didn't make the trip," Border told The Australian.

"If it was revealed at some later stage they had taken an illegal substance, then the sport doesn't need another black eye." Border said banned drugs had no place in cricket but he was prepared to offer Shoaib and Asif the benefit of the doubt.

"I would feel genuinely sorry for both the two young blokes if that were not the case," he said. "There has been a cloud hanging over both of them for a good while. If it is the case, it would be sad on the one hand because I believe they are both quality cricketers.

"The whole cricketing world knows there has been a big question-mark over them both. It is a known fact they both had failed previous internal testing, but as we also know the Pakistan Cricket Board is not WADA-compliant."

Border said the World Cup, which begins in less than a fortnight, needed to avoid controversy to maintain its reputation. "Players who have been selected from other teams for what is cricket's biggest tournament are there performing to the best of their ability and on a level playing field," he said. "The bottom line here is there is no room for players who take [illegal] drugs in our game."

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