Even as the Indian cricket team returned from a not entirely successful tour of Zimbabwe, they would have felt gratified at the fact that the Board of Control for Cricket in India officials have been quick to rise to the players' defence in the controversial matter of drugs charges.

Immediately after the allegations were made in Outlook magazine, BCCI secretary JY Lele dismissed the charges as `bakwas' (nonsense). And on Sunday, he was joined by BCCI president AC Muthiah who also discounted reports that some Indian cricketers had used performance enhancing steroids. "I don't think our players are involved in any such drug issue," he told a press conference in Chennai after the annual general meeting of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association.

Lele had earlier said that the BCCI would follow the International Cricket Council guidelines on controlling drug abuse in the game. "We already have the code of conduct in which taking such substances is prohibited. And if ICC announces the guidelines and list of banned drugs, we will follow suit," Lele said.

On Sunday, Muthiah said much the same thing. According to him, the ICC was "working out certain methods to avoid drug abuse if it is prevalent amongst cricketers." He said that the drug issue was discussed at length during an ICC meeting last month and added the BCCI was awaiting the decisions and would follow the ICC system as soon as it was in place. Asked whether the BCCI proposed to take random samples of Indian team members for dope testing, Muthiah said there was no lab facilities available in the country for such tests. Even for horses, samples were being sent abroad, he said.

Muthiah did not say anything about taking legal action against Outlook. But Lele has already been quoted as saying that BCCI was contemplating going to court. "We will take up the matter at the working committee meeting of the BCCI in August. Only then we will decide what course of action should be taken against 'Outlook' for making such wild allegations. If necessary, we would even take recourse to legal action," he said.

The outspoken Lele, while dismissing the charges, said "It is time someone goes to court against publishing such nonsense," and described the article as "reckless reportage." The BCCI secretary in fact had a talk with the team members while they were in Zimbabwe. "The boys were very upset but I had a talk with the Indian team management and asked them not to worry about such baseless reports and carry on the good work," said Lele.

The team management - manager Chetan Chauhan and physio Andrew Leipus - were the first to deny the charges and defend the players stoutly. And former coach Anshuman Gaekwad, who reportedly made most of the allegations, has already vehemently denied the charges. Now with Muthiah and Lele too standing solidly behind the cricketers, the players should be satisfied with the response as they prepare for a tough tour of Sri Lanka.

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