Indian opener Prithvi Shaw suspended for doping violation

India Test opener Prithvi Shaw has been suspended until November 15, 2019 for a doping violation. A BCCI release said Shaw had “inadvertently ingested a prohibited substance, which can be commonly found in cough syrups.”

Not picked in the Test squad for the upcoming West Indies tour because of a hip injury, the suspension will also not let Shaw participate in the home Tests against South Africa in October, as well as the first Test against Bangladesh which begins on November 14.

Shaw had provided a urine sample as part of the BCCI’s anti-doping testing programme on the day of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match against Punjab on February 22 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,” the BCCI release said.

Shaw was then charged on July 16 under the BCCI Anti-Doping Rules (ADR) Article 2.1 and provisionally suspended pending determination of the charge. He admitted to the Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV), but asserted it was “inadvertent, being caused by his ingestion of the over the counter cough syrup he had taken for his cough.”

The BCCI was “satisfied” with the explanation that Shaw had taken “Terbutaline inadvertently to treat a Respiratory Tract Infection and not as a performance-enhancing drug.” The board considered all of the evidence and took “expert external advice” before accepting Shaw’s explanation and agreed that a “period of ineligibility of eight months should apply, together with disqualification of certain results”.

“Because Mr. Shaw promptly admitted his ADRV upon being confronted with it by the BCCI, there is discretion under BCCI ADR Article 10.10.2 to back-date the start of the period of Ineligibility to the date of sample collection (22nd February 2019). However, the BCCI ADR Article 10.10.2 also requires Mr. Shaw to actually serve one half of the period of ineligibility. Therefore, further to BCCI ADR Article 10.10.2, 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,” the BCCI statement said.

However, 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 because of the following provision: “Under BCCI ADR Article 10.11.2 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:
(i) the last two months of the Cricketer’s period of Ineligibility; or
(ii) the last one-quarter of the period of Ineligibility imposed.”

Along with Shaw, Vidarbha’s Akshay Dullarwar and Rajasthan’s Divya Gajraj were also suspended for doping violations. The two had “inadvertently ingested a prohibited substance” for a treatment of an infection and an eye injury respectively. (ESPNCricinfo)