Of interest to cricket fans, source here:

Pakistan's top bowler Shoaib Akhtar was banned for two years and teammate Mohammad Asif for one year after they tested positive for a banned steroid, an official said yesterday.

A three-member doping tribunal appointed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) ruled the pace pair out of all international and domestic cricket, meaning they will now miss next year's World Cup.

Akhtar, 31, and Asif, 23, were sent home in disgrace from the Champions Trophy in India on Oct 16 after the PCB said the performance-enhancing drug nandrolone had appeared in their samples.

They now have the right to appeal, officials said. Both insisted they did not take any banned substances knowingly, but they waived their rights to have their 'B samples' tested.

Banned for life I says. Cheating in any sport besmirches its name and reputation. It's what happened to Hansie Cronje. It's what should have happened to Shane Warne. It's what should happen to these two jokers and anyone else who chooses to cheat. If they won, and they went through undiscovered, do you think that, at the end of it all, they would have gathered round and said "It's only a joke guys, we were cheating, take the trophy". No, they wouldn't.

Kick 'em out for life. All of them.

Thomas.