Pakistan legspinner Yasir Shah has been handed a three-month suspension by the ICC after he pleaded guilty to breaching the ICC’s Anti-Doping Code, related to the presence of a banned substance in a player’s sample. The bowler will be available to play again from March 27, once the retrospective penalty ends. The three-month penalty was backdated to December 27, when Yasir was provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned substance, an ICC release said.
The ban rules Yasir out of the current Pakistan Super League, the upcoming Asia Cup and the World T20, and he could make his return for Pakistan only during the tour of England in June.
A sample taken from Yasir on November 13, when Pakistan played an ODI against England in Abu Dhabi, was found to contain chlortalidone, which is on WADA’s prohibited list of diuretics and masking agents and is prohibited both in-competition and out-of-competition. Chlortalidone also treats high blood pressure.
According to the release, during disciplinary proceedings, Yasir clarified that he had inadvertently taken his wife’s blood pressure medication and had no intention of enhancing his performance or masking the use of another performance-enhancing substance. Yasir pleaded guilty to breaching Article 2.1 of the ICC’s anti-doping code, which deals with “the presence of a Prohibited Substance or its Metabolites or Markers in a Player’s Sample.”
“While making the decision, the ICC accepted that Mr Shah had inadvertently ingested the ‘Specified Substance’ for therapeutic reasons, specifically to treat his blood pressure,” the ICC said. “He was able to satisfy the ICC through evidence and submissions prepared on his behalf by the Pakistan Cricket Board that he had no intention to enhance his sporting performance or to mask the use of another performance enhancing substance and had, instead, mistakenly taken his wife’s blood pressure medication that was identical in appearance to his own but which contained the prohibited substance chlortalidone.
“However, Mr Shah has accepted that he had failed to satisfy the high levels of personal responsibility incumbent upon him as an international cricketer subject to anti-doping rules.”
While he is suspended, Yasir cannot play – or be involved in any capacity in – international matches, and games organised by any national cricket board or its affiliated members.
Umar Farooq is ESPNcricinfo’s Pakistan correspondent. @kalson
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo