Ahmad Shahzad got banned for mistakenly consuming his mother’s medicine

PCB has banned Shahzad for four months over a positive result in the dope test.

Ahmad Shahzad | Getty

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has banned the right-handed opening batsman Ahmad Shahzad for four months over a positive result in the dope test conducted by the game's governing body in the country.

Shahzad's ban will be effective from July 10, 2018, when he was issued a notice regarding the charge. He has now been provisionally suspended from participating in all forms of the game in this period for consumption of a prohibited substance. Shahzad can only make a return to the field from November 11 onwards.

It all happened on May 3 when Shahzad was scheduled to play a game for Balochistan. He was feeling unwell and shaky on that day and asked for some medicines from his wife. His wife had then given him his mother’s cancer-treating drugs by mistake instead of Gravinate, the one he took on a regular basis.

To defend himself, the cricketer also gave his mother’s prescription slip for Dronabinol and her relevant medical records. Shahzad also took help from the physiotherapist and dope control official who were present at the time of testing to show his error before the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

As per a report published in Cricbuzz, Shahzad expressed his concerns to the PCB after being issued a notice of charge on him on July 10. He later revised his statement and admitted to having breached the anti-doping policy while asking the PCB to initiate proceedings on “confidential and without prejudice” basis.

Since the presence of THC in Shehzad's urine sample was owing to the consumption of Dronabinol, it was concluded that he "had no intent to cheat or enhance his sporting performance".

(With inputs from Cricbuzz)

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 09 Oct, 2018

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