Sri Lanka opening batsman Upul Tharanga has been found guilty of committing an anti-doping rule violation under Article 2.1 of the ICC Anti-Doping Code and has been suspended from all cricket and cricket-related activities for a period of three months.
Tharanga (26) provided a urine sample as part of the ICC’s random in-competition testing program after the conclusion of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 semi-final between Sri Lanka and New Zealand, held in Colombo on March 29 , 2011.
His sample was subsequently tested by a World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) accredited laboratory and was found to contain metabolites of two glucocorticosteroids - Prednisone and Prednisolone.
moreAn independent anti-doping tribunal, comprising Tim Kerr, QC, (acting as chairman), Dr Anik Sax and Prof Peter Sever heard the case via videoconference and made its determination after considering detailed written and oral legal submissions as well as live witness evidence, including from Tharanga himself.
Tharanga pleaded guilty to the offence at an early stage in the proceedings and, as mandated under the ICC Code, the tribunal disqualified the rankings points he earned from the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.
The tribunal also exercised its discretion under the ICC Code to impose upon him a period of ineligibility of three months, which was back-dated, in accordance with the discretion afforded to the tribunal under the ICC Code, to commence on May 9, 2011 and expiring on August 8, 2011, therefore leaving him eligible to return to cricket and cricket related activities on August 9, 2011.
Daily News
