MUMBAI, June 7: The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) wants the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to take action against paceman Mohammad Asif for possessing banned substance.

“The ICC will come in trouble if no action is being initiated against the bowler by the PCB,” David Howman, the Director General, WADA, said from Montreal.

“Though the PCB has not signed directly with the WADA, but the ICC has and being a member of the ICC, the PCB has to do something for this,” he further added.

“At present we are not immediately writing a ‘warning letter’ to the ICC but would wait for them to initiate in this matter,” he further added.

Asif can be charged — even if deported to Pakistan by Dubai authorities — by the PCB under WADA act 2.6.1, 2.6.2 and 2.7 which concerns trafficking in any Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method.

The use of these substances can only be granted if the possession is pursuant to a therpeutic use. Asif was unable to produce such medical certificate prior to being detained at the airport and hence appears to be in a lot of trouble.

According to highly placed sources in Dubai Forensic Science laboratory, a combination of two different compounds — opium and shilajit — was found in Asif’s possession at the Dubai airport.

According to doping experts, opium is a narcotic substance derived from raw form of heroin. The dark brown and black colour opium is supportive for killing pain in some cases. The shilajit available in light brown colour is a highly powerful sexual medicine also used for restoring energy in a short period of time. The combined effect of both, if taken by mouth, would last for three to seven days unless taken in a high dose through injections.”

Asif, however, has contended that the substance was prescribed by a hakeem for treatment and rapid healing of the pacer’s injury. “I have been residing in a very remote rural area (Mahhi Key), some 14 kilometres from Sheikhupura town in Pakistan where I was prescribed this medicine by a local hakeem....,” Asif is said to have told the prosecutor in his recorded statement last Thursday.

Asif’s case will resume in Dubai on Sunday after a three-day mourning in the UAE due to the death of a royal family member on Thursday night.—Agencies