India Test opener Prithvi Shaw – and two others – have been handed suspensions by the BCCI for doping violations. An official release from the cricket board stated that the Mumbai cricketer provided a urine sample as part of an anti-doping testing program during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on February 22, 2019 in Indore.
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The sample was found to contain Terbutaline – a substance that is on the WADA Prohibited List of Substances. Following this finding, Shaw was charged with the commission of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under the BCCI Anti-Doping Rules (ADR) Article 2.1 on July 16, 2019, and provisionally suspended pending determination of the charge.
— Prithvi Shaw (@PrithviShaw) 30 July 2019
The 19-year-old responded by saying that he inadvertently took the drug because of consuming an over-the-counter syrup for his cough. BCCI found his explanation satisfactory and ruled out the possibility of it being consumed as a performance enhancer. Based on these findings, the BCCI put forth a back-dated eight-month suspension which will go on till November 15, 2019.
According to BCCI guidelines, Shaw is allowed to return to train with the team or use club facilities from September 15, 2019 – for the last two months of his period of ineligibility.
In lieu of the suspension, Shaw has already not been picked for the Tests in West Indies and will also be ineligible for selection for the home Tests against South Africa (October 2 to 23) and the first Test of a two-match series against Bangladesh (starting on November 14).
Besides Shaw, BCCI also suspended two domestic cricketers – Team Rajasthan’s Divya Gajraj and Vidarbha’s Akshay Dullarwar for similar, inadvertent violations.
