Cricket Australia has suspended Australian women’s team seamer Megan Schutt for two matches for failing to follow stringent guidelines on the use of prescription drugs that are not performance-enhancing during an out-of-competition time.

After accepting the sentence for a one-time incident that occurred during the Australian team's off-period before the series against Bangladesh, Schutt, 33, has been suspended for the third T20I against New Zealand and the WBBL match for Adelaide Strikers.

"The breach was a failure to adhere to requirements under the Sports Science and Sports Medicine guidelines with regard to prescription medication. This relates to a single incident that occurred while out of competition and was not for performance-enhancing purposes. We will continue to provide appropriate support to Megan and reinforce the standards and responsibilities expected of everyone representing our game," said a statement from Cricket Australia.

Schutt accepted the punishment in a statement of her own.

"I fully accept the penalty handed down and apologize for failing to meet the standards expected of me. I'm sorry for the attention this has caused and appreciate the support I've received. While this occurred out of competition and was not performance-related, I understand that I am responsible for following the Sports Science and Sports Medicine Guidelines, which players receive regular education on, and I should have adhered to these guidelines,” Schutt stated.

The use of personal prescription medication that is not performance-enhancing is legal under CA and anti-doping authority rules; however, there are strict guidelines around such prescriptions being for personal use only.

(Cricket.com.au inputs)