Sounds like serious trouble. PCB is helping him with legalities. I think he will face a magistrate tomorrow. Dubai has got very strict laws on drugs. The jail term varies from six months to fifteen years.

But I think his country will be able to put diplomatic pressure and bail him out.

__________________
My computer can beat me at chess.....but its no match for me at kick boxing.

Oh God Asif, what the hell were you thinking?

After his recent problems, maybe a few months in prison'll straighten him out. At the very least, a lengthy suspension should be sentenced and enforced, before he and other players get the wrong ideas about their importance relative to the game.

The BBC is still quoting "unconfirmed reports" and says "Dubai airport police refused to comment", but a PCB press conference has been called, and some clarity might come from that.

If guilty, I can't see Asif playing cricket for a very long time (if ever). He's fortunate to be playing as it is...

ps. Is the PCB now fully signed up to WADA? If so, the PCB will presumably not be intervening if Asif is charged.

Well, Rachael, I am not sure that a strict punishment will be enforced. May be he will be banned and unbanned on appeal again. PCB banned Akhtar (which was supposed to be final) and then postponed the ban to allow him to play IPL and now they have scheduled another hearing for him (he will possibly be unbanned again).

And something similar has happened in the past. If I remember right, Wasim Akram, Waqar Yunis and Mushtaq Ahmed were arrested in Jamaica in 1993 for possessing drugs. Pakistan used diplomatic pressure and got them out of trouble. Not sure if they were punished in any way.

__________________
My computer can beat me at chess.....but its no match for me at kick boxing.

Says here is was opium

Pakistan bowler Asif arrested on drugs charges - Breaking News - World - Breaking News

Apparently, he has been carrying it around for months in his wallet and forgot about it............

I say this should be his third last chance. If he gets done for drugs once more then give him a suspended sentence. If he gets done once more after that, then his suspended sentence should be increased.

After the third time, he should be suspended.

Pending the result of any subsequent appeals

__________________
The thought police are everywhere..............

Thats probably what will happen. Remember what happened last time he tested positive.

__________________
Mark.

Only very loosely similar.

That was for marijuana that they were having a puff of in their down time between tests.

As they say when in Rome do as the Romans do, in their case they were in the land of Bob Marley and were doing what Bob Marley did....chuff chuff cough cough

__________________
Umpire's role

oh kirants1985 he was caught be dubai airport security officials and not in pakistan.i think the charges are about to be dropped or are already dropped. well the world will never know the truth as dubai and pakistan do have good relations. i cant imagine his situation if he was caught in mumbai airport( how he slipped past mumbai airport security is another case altogether). anyways i cant quite seem to understand what is with pakistani bowlers and their wild ways.caught with marijuana... getting banned for using banned substances and then surprisingly acquitted, assaulting team mates, fighting with PCB and getting banned..getting a temporary suspension.
asif's delhi daredevils(ipl) team mates claim the guy was a bit of a recluse hardly ever spoke to them unlike mcgrath who gave them tips at the nets even without asking sometimes. but the news was shocking for a few of them.

What i want to know is if he had it in his wallet for months what the hell were the authorities doing in India as i presume the players were flying between venues during the IPL so it makes you wonder how he wasn't caught earlier.

As for punishment,well there won't be any punishment but had it been an Aussie or an Englishman he would have been banned and/or jailed.