A committee set up by Bermuda Cricket Board of Control to probe allegations of drug use during this year's controversy-filled ICC Trophy Tournament in Malaysia has concluded that there was insufficient evidence to discipline any of the players accused.

But a full report on the alleged incident, compiled by that committee, has still not been made public. And it was unclear last night whether the BCBC would release details of their findings.

It was revealed shortly after the Island squad returned in April, following a disappointing performance, that at least two players had been suspected of smoking marijuana in a country where drug smugglers face the death penalty.

Yesterday the BCBC, having earlier this week been handed a report by the committee -- chaired by Michael Mello and including Clevelyn Crichlow and Police Supt. Campbell Simons -- admitted for the first time that four players had been accused of misusing drugs.

But in a brief, two sentence summation, the BCBC said the allegations could not be proven.

"Because of the lack of any conclusive evidence upon which to base a finding that the four accused were misusing drugs, and the fact that all four accused immediately and subsequently offered plausible explanations in reply to the allegations made against them, the committee is satisfied that it is safe to draw from the circumstantial evidence the inferences which admit to the acceptance of their explanations,'' said the Board.

"For these reasons this committee is not satisfied that the four accused were misusing drugs while on tour in Malaysia during the early morning hours of the 30th and 31st of March, 1997, as alleged.'' The committee, who say they met on eight separate occasions to discuss the allegations, did not name any of the players accused.

After the drugs story surfaced and following other breaches of discipline during the Malaysia tour, five squad members -- Corey Hill, Charlie Marshall, Kevin Hurdle, Kameron Fox and Del Hollis -- all were left out of the Bermuda team which played India's touring Test side in May.

Asked at the time to comment on their omission, national coach Alan Douglas said: "You can pick the bones out of it. Anybody in their right mind can see what is happening.'' Bailey's Bay pair Marshall and Hill admitted they hadn't been surprised to have been left out of the squad but stressed their omission had no connection with drug allegations.

Douglas, along with Australian advisor Bobby Simpson who also accompanied the team to Malaysia, submitted reports to the BCBC following the squad's return.

Details of those reports have not been made public.

Meanwhile, the committee yesterday offered three recommendations on the new drugs policy that was implemented by the BCBC following the ICC Trophy trip, noting that the policy did not make provision for mandatory drug testing.

"Accordingly,'' they said, "this committee recommends that the BCBC: "1) Adopt a position of zero tolerance in relation to drug misuse; "2) Strengthen its new drug policy by adopting a form of mandatory testing which requires every team member to submit to a drug screening test prior to leaving Bermuda and again immediately upon their return to Bermuda; and "3) Provide in its new drug policy that should any team member fail, or not submit to, drug testing both prior to and on return from a tour, that they not be eligible for any future tours until such time as the BCBC is provided with a satisfactory explanation of satisfactory test results, as the case may be, in accordance with the Athletes Assistance Programme protocols set out in the new drug policy.''