While the authorities of Pakistan, i.e. the Pakistan Cricket Board may not agree to the ban being awarded on their star player Mohd. Asif by the IPL, and therefore requested the ICC to intervene in the matter the ICC did not agree to it. It sighted the principle of ‘mutual recognition’ game of cricket and adhering to it has decided that a decision that has been arrived at relating to anti-doping matters by any constitutional body running the game and including the Indian Players League would be given legal sanctity by the ICC.

The moot point involved here was whether IPL ha the legal authority to impose such a ban, as it tarnishes the reputation of the cricket, and also takes away his productive cricketing year from him. ON this point ICC has said that the fundamental principle of ‘mutual recognition’ (which underlies the global fight against anti-doping) is described in the ICC Code (both the 2008 and the 2009 version), the WADA Code, the IPL Code and (to the extent that they are in force and effective) the anti-doping codes of all ICC members. Through those regulations, any decision by the Indian Players League (which, as it does, has a WADA Code-compliant set of anti-doping regulations) is to be recognized by the ICC, each of its members and, indeed, any other sports that are signatories to (or have anti-doping regulations that are consistent with) the WADA Code.

As per the clause on ‘mutual recognition’ of the ICC Code (2008 version) : “...ICC hereby recognizes that its members (including cricket bodies affiliated to such members) and their cricketers are bound by such regulations of the other ICC members and their affiliates which have jurisdiction in relation to any event or occurrence to which such regulations pertain. Further, ICC shall recognize and enforce any suspension or other penalty imposed pursuant to the anti-doping regulations of the other ICC members as if ICC had imposed that suspension or other penalty and ICC shall offer every reasonable assistance to the other ICC members as they may require for the implementation and enforcement of their anti-doping regulations from time to time.”

 From the above it is clear that the ICC will respect any suspension imposed under the rules of its members. The catch however lies in the fact that such suspension can only be enforced under the “anti-doping regulations” of the members or their affiliates.

Comments

Add New RSS

3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

Newer news items:

Older news items: