BCCI Suspends Prithvi Shaw and Two Other Players for Failing Drug Test

Prithvi Shaw, the Under-19 World Cup-winning captain, has been handed an eight-month suspension for failing a drug test by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). As per the board, the youngster had allegedly inadvertently ingested a prohibited substance that found in cough syrups also, the BCCI said on Tuesday (July 30).

Terbutaline was found in his urine sample which is prohibited in and out of the competition by World Anti Doping Agency. Due to this, he will not be available for selection until November 15.

BCCI said the batsman was tested during a game of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on February 22 in Indore and on July 16 he was charged under the BCCI anti-doping rules. Shaw, however, admitted the violation, saying, ‘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 an Respiratory Tract Infection and not as a performance-enhancing drug,” BCCI said in the media release. “Having considered all of the evidence and taken expert external advice, the BCCI has accepted Shaw’s explanation of the cause of his Anti Doping Rule Violation (ADRV), and on that basis has agreed that a period of ineligibility of eight months should apply, together with disqualification of certain results,” the release further added.

“Under BCCI ADR (anti doping rules) Article 10.10.3, 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 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 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,” it added further.

Although Shaw’s ban began on March 16, he played for Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and in the Mumbai T20 league.

“All individual results obtained by Shaw from the date of sample collection up until his provisional suspension of 16 July are disqualified, and any individual medals or other prizes awarded to him based on those results are forfeited,” the board added.

However, Prithvi Shaw hasn’t been named for the West Indies tour – either with India A or the senior team because he was suffering from an injury. From September 15, he can train and use BCCI or the state association’s facilities.

Along with Prithvi Shaw, the other two players who were suspended belongs to Vidarbha Akshay Dullarwar (eight months) and Rajasthan’s Divya Gajraj (six months).