Mr. Akshay Dullarwar registered with Vidarbha Cricket Association, has been suspended for doping violation. Mr. Dullarwar had inadvertently ingested a prohibited substance for treatment of an infection.
Mr. Dullarwar had provided a urine sample as part of the BCCI’s anti-doping testing program during the Men’s Under-23 One-day match on 10th March 2019 in Hyderabad. His sample was subsequently tested and found to contain Desacetyl Deflazacort, a metabolite of Deflazacort, which is a Glucocorticoid that is prohibited In-Competition in the WADA Prohibited List of Substances.
On 26th June 2019, Mr. Dullarwar was charged with the commission of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under the BCCI Anti-Doping Rules (ADR) Article 2.1 and provisionally suspended pending determination of the charge. Mr. Dullarwar responded to the charge by admitting the ADRV but asserting that it was inadvertent, being caused by his ingestion of the medication that had been prescribed for him by his doctor.
The BCCI is satisfied with Mr. Dullarwar’s explanation that he had taken Deflazacort inadvertently to treat an infection and not as a performance-enhancing drug. Having considered all of the evidence and taken expert external advice, the BCCI has accepted Mr. Dullarwar’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 disqualification of certain results.
Under BCCI ADR Article 10.10.3, Mr. Dullarwar is entitled to full credit against that period of ineligibility for the provisional suspension that he has been serving since 26th June 2019. In addition, because Mr. Dullarwar 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 (10th March 2019). However, the BCCI ADR Article 10.10.2 also requires Mr. Dullarwar 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 10th March 2019, so that it will end at midnight on 9th November 2019.
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.
Therefore, Mr. Dullarwar 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 9th September 2019.
The complete decision and reasoning of Mr. Akshay Dullarwar’s case is available
here.
2. Mr. Divya GajrajMr. Divya Gajraj registered with Team Rajasthan, has been suspended for doping violation. Mr. Gajraj had inadvertently ingested a prohibited substance for treatment of an eye injury.
Mr. Gajraj had provided a urine sample as part of the BCCI’s anti-doping testing program during the Cooch Behar Trophy Under-19 match on 5th February 2019 in Jaipur. His sample was subsequently tested and found to contain Acetazolamide, which is a Diuretic & Masking Agent, that is prohibited at all times in the WADA Prohibited List of Substances.
On 26th June 2019, Mr. Gajraj was charged with the commission of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under the BCCI Anti-Doping Rules (ADR) Article 2.1 and provisionally suspended pending determination of the charge. Mr. Gajraj responded to the charge by admitting the ADRV but asserting that it was inadvertent, being caused by his ingestion of the medication that had been prescribed for him by his doctor to treat an eye injury.
The BCCI is satisfied with Mr. Gajraj’s explanation that he had taken Acetazolamide inadvertently to treat an eye injury and not as a performance-enhancing drug. Having considered all of the evidence and taken expert external advice, the BCCI has accepted Mr. Gajraj’s explanation of the cause of his ADRV, and on that basis has agreed that a period of ineligibility of six months should apply, together with disqualification of certain results.
Under BCCI ADR Article 10.10.3, Mr. Gajraj is entitled to full credit against that period of ineligibility for the provisional suspension that he has been serving since 26th June 2019. In addition, because Mr. Gajraj 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 (5th February 2019). However, the BCCI ADR Article 10.10.2 also requires Mr. Gajraj to actually serve one half of the period of ineligibility. Therefore, further to BCCI ADR Article 10.10.2, the six-month period of Ineligibility will be deemed to have started to run on 26th March 2019, so that it will end at midnight on 25th September 2019.
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.
Therefore, Mr. Gajraj 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 10th August 2019.
The complete decision and reasoning of Mr. Divya Gajraj’s case is available
here.
3. Mr. Prithvi ShawMr. Prithvi Shaw registered with Mumbai Cricket Association, has been suspended for doping violation. Mr. Shaw had inadvertently ingested a prohibited substance, which can be commonly found in cough syrups.
Mr. 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.
On 16th July 2019, Mr. Shaw was charged with the commission of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under the BCCI Anti-Doping Rules (ADR) Article 2.1 and provisionally suspended pending determination of the charge. Mr. Shaw responded to the charge by admitting the ADRV but asserting 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 Mr. Shaw’s explanation that he had taken Terbutaline inadvertently to treat an 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 disqualification of certain results.
Under BCCI ADR Article 10.10.3, Mr. Shaw is entitled to full credit against that period of ineligibility for the provisional suspension that he has been serving since 16th July 2019. In addition, 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.
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.
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 complete decision and reasoning of Mr. Prithvi Shaw’s case is available
here.
The BCCI has a zero-tolerance approach towards doping in Cricket. All Cricketers are personally responsible for ensuring that anything they eat, drink or put in their body does not give rise to an ADRV under the BCCI Anti-Doping Code. The BCCI provides a dedicated 24X7 Anti-Doping Helpline where the Cricketers and Cricket support personnel can contact for any drug queries.
