Pakistan has been embroiled in yet another scandal with fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif sent home from the Champions Trophy in India after returning positive drugs tests.
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Internal tests carried out by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) last month revealed the pace pair took the drug Nandrolone.
The Pakistan team, which is due to begin its Champions Trophy campaign against Sri Lanka on Tuesday, cancelled its scheduled training session and the PCB declined to comment, but its action to dismiss the Shoaib and Asif from the tour speaks volumes.
Both bowlers were coming back from injuries and it is believed they have used the drugs as a means of rapid rehabilitation.
Shoaib had a well publicised double knee operation while Asif has been sidelined with an elbow injury.
The International Cricket Council chief executive Malcolm Speed said the sport of cricket had very little association with drugs of any kind and applauded the PCB for its solid stance on the issue.
"Generally cricket has been considered a low-risk sport," he said on BBC Sport. "The risk for cricket has always been a player who is injured taking a substance inadvisedly to come back quickly from injury."
"It is very disappointing this has happened, it is very disappointing for these players but we will get to the bottom of it in the next day or so."
The news comes on top of the ball-tampering scandal from the fourth Test against England in which skipper Inzamam ul-Haq was suspended for four one-day games as a result of leading his team in protest at The Oval incident.
Then more controversy surrounded the Pakistan team as Younis Khan initially refused to lead the side in the Champions Trophy following Inzamam's absence. Shortly after, PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan quit and tour manager Zaheer Abbas was sacked.
