ICC adopts 'whereabouts' drug-testing procedure

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has adopted the 'whereabouts' drug-testing procedure, the governing body said yesterday.

The new rules will come into force on August 1 and have the support of the Word Anti-Doping Agency.

In athletics, where the system was pioneered, the whereabouts rule, which requires competitors to give three months' notice of where they will be for an hour each day so they can be tested, has proved controversial.

Some athletes complained they could not know for certain where they would be that far in advance but, with the international cricket calendar revolving around series that have long been arranged, the ICC has signed up to the rule.

"The ICC whereabouts rules will strengthen our out-of-competition testing programme as we strive to ensure cricket remains drug-free," Haroon Lorgat, the ICC's chief executive said.

Now the ICC plans to establish an international registered testing pool of players who will be required to submit their 'whereabouts' information in accordance with WADA rules.

Although cricket has not been blighted by doping to the same extent as other sports, it has had its share of drug scandals.

For example, Pakistan quick Mohammad Asif, playing in the ongoing first Test against Australia at Lord's, tested positive for nandrolone in 2006 and then received another one-year doping ban in 2008.