Indian cricketer Prithvi Shaw has been handed a back-dated suspension for a doping violation. His suspension will run till 15th November 2019. Shaw had inadvertently ingested a prohibited substance, which can be commonly found in cough syrups, said the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
“Shaw had provided a urine sample as part of the BCCI’s anti-doping testing program during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match on 22nd February 2019 in Indore. His sample was subsequently tested and found to contain Terbutaline. Terbutaline, a specified substance, is prohibited both In & Out of Competition in the WADA Prohibited List of Substances,” BCCI said in a statement on Tuesday.
Shaw had told the BCCI that it was inadvertent, being caused by his ingestion of the over the counter cough syrup he had taken for his cough.
“The BCCI is satisfied with Shaw’s explanation that he had taken Terbutaline inadvertently to treat a Respiratory Tract Infection and not as a performance-enhancing drug. Having considered all of the evidence and taken expert external advice, the BCCI has accepted Mr. Shaw’s explanation of the cause of his ADRV, and on that basis has agreed that a period of ineligibility of eight months should apply, together with the disqualification of certain results,” the statement added.
The eight-month suspension will date back March 16, 2019 and hence will end by November.
“The eight-month period of Ineligibility will be deemed to have started to run on 16th March 2019, so that it will end at midnight on 15th November 2019. A Cricketer may return to train with a team or to use the facilities of a club or other member organisation of a Signatory’s member organisation during the shorter of: the last two months of the Cricketer’s period of Ineligibility; or the last one-quarter of the period of Ineligibility imposed. Therefore, Mr. Shaw may return to train with his State team and/or to use the facilities of any club or other member organisation of the BCCI after midnight on 15th September 2019.”
The other two cricketers suspended are Divya Gajraj (Rajasthan, ingested a prohibited substance for the treatment of an eye injury) and Akshay Dullarwar (Vidarbha, ingested a prohibited substance for the treatment of an infection) have both been suspended for six and eight months respectively. Their suspensions will be lifted on 25 September and 9 November.
The 19-year-old Shaw, who has played two Test matches against the West Indies in 2018, has been reportedly undergoing rehabilitation for a hip injury and was not named in the squad for the team’s Caribbean tour.
Full details of the suspensions here.
