Calcutta: A day after a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)-appointed appeals tribunal cleared Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammed Asif of doping charges, the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday pointed to inconsistencies in the process.

Reacting to the three-member tribunal’s verdict, ICC president Percy Sonn said that the “judgement highlights inconsistencies in the PCB’s anti-doping processes and regulations.”

“Cricket has taken significant strides forward in addressing the important issue of drug use in our sport. However, this judgement emphasises that much more work needs to be done to educate players and to synchronise our Members’ efforts to attain a totally drug-free sport,” Sonn said in a statement.

It may be recalled that PCB set up a commission to deal with the issue when the players tested positive for banned steroid nandrolone in an out-of-the-competition test during the Champions Trophy, and subsequently, Shoaib and Asif were banned for two and one year, respectively. The players decided to contest it and the three-member appeals panel reversed the ban on Tuesday with a 2-1 majority.

The tribunal in its verdict stressed that the bowlers were neither warned nor cautioned against dietary supplements.

Sonn said that educating cricketers on the subject of doping was important.

“The issue of player education is also of vital importance and the ICC will, with WADA’s continued assistance, do its utmost to make it easier for our members to provide this service to their players and officials,” he said.

According to the ICC chief, all ICC member countries should revisit their own regulations and align their anti-doping policies with the WADA code and the ICC anti-doping code.

“It is vital that cricket takes heed of the judgement and that the lessons it provides are disseminated amongst all our Members… I would now urge all our Members to ensure action is taken so cricket can show just how committed it is to being known as a drug-free sport.”