No Australian cricketer linked with doping

Sydney: Cricket Australia said there was nothing in a damning government report into doping that linked the sport to drugs, saying he was shocked by the findings.

Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland on Thursday said sports bodies and the government must work together urgently on developing a national approach to integrity in sport.

Cricket has not been immune to doping, with Pakistan pacemen Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif failing drugs tests in 2006.

Sutherland said Cricket Australia was committed to working to eradicate the scourge of doping and would immediately review its systems and controls.

The investigation identified common use in professional Australian sport of prohibited substances including peptides — a type of stimulant — hormones and illicit drugs.

It said criminal networks were increasingly involved in the distribution of illegal substances.