UAE batter Asif handed 15-month ban after testing positive for banned substance

Dubai, Aug 27 (IANS) United Arab Emirates (UAE) batter Asif Khan has been handed a 15-month ban from all cricket activities after testing positive for a prohibited substance, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Thursday.

Asif, 36, admitted to breaching Article 2.1 of the ICC Anti-Doping Code after an out-of-competition test on September 8, 2025, detected a metabolite of mesterolone. Article 2.1 specifies that an anti-doping violation occurs when a prohibited substance, its metabolites, or markers are found in a cricketer’s urine or blood sample.

“Asif admitted the violation of Article 2.1 of the ICC Anti-Doping Code and accepted a 15-month period of ineligibility pursuant to a Case Resolution Agreement entered into with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Cricket Council (ICC).

“The player’s individual results from 8 September 2025 until his provisional suspension on 29 December 2025 have been disqualified, along with all resulting consequences, including the loss of any medals, points, prize money or prizes. There is no right of appeal under the Case Resolution Agreement,” the ICC said in its statement.

Generally found in urine samples, Mesterolone is a synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) that is banned by WADA both in-competition and out-of-competition.

Asif is permitted to return to training at the UAE’s official facilities from October 8, but will remain ineligible for competitive matches until December 8. The right-handed batter played domestic cricket in Pakistan from 2007 to 2014 before moving to the UAE in 2017 to pursue international cricket.

Asif has represented the UAE in 38 ODIs and 56 T20Is since making his international debut in 2022, amassing 1270 and 1302 runs respectively. His last international appearances came in 2025, before the 15-month ban came into effect.

–IANS

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