Mumbai: The case of Pakistan bowler Mohammed Asif facing an indefinite ban by his Board after his first urine sample showed traces of a banned substance must not be seen in isolation.
The bigger issue is how cricket is losing its soul like several other sports.

The Tour de France, the world's most celebrated cycling event, has been smeared by so many dope allegations that even the most avid cycling enthusiast can no longer be a complete believer about the sport. The applause that follows these cyclists on their breathtaking routes in Europe is now tempered by cynicism. Doping allegations are chipping away at the faith of the fans.

Similarly cricket, which already suffered a tremendous setback with the match fixing scam, faces another test again with the nandrolone reports. Every time an athlete falls from grace, through cheating, sports fans feel the twist of a knife in their back. There is a sense of personal betrayal. This is because the nature of sport, its triumphs over adversity, its message of hope, its clear cut winner-takes-all philosophy in a complicated world, makes it one of the more elevating pursuits of humankind.

Cricket that seemed free of fixing, "how can a team game be fixed?" fans had asked, lost the faith when the huge player-bookie nexus was exposed. Similarly, voices said, there was no need for dope in cricket. Today, they are unsure about that.

The greatest misfortune about cricket or any sport for that matter sullied by cheating is not that the sport is never the same again, but that the fans never believe with the same fervour again.