Wagg pleads guilty

27 September 2004

Graham Wagg

At a Preliminary Hearing of a Disciplinary Panel (Gerard Elias QC (Chairman), Alan Moss and Tim O’Gorman) held in the ECB offices at Lord’s on Monday, 27th September 2004, Mr Graham Wagg was formally notified that a DCT test of a sample of his urine taken on 4th September 2004 had proved positive in that the sample was shown to have contained a derivative of cocaine.

The Cricketer has admitted that he used the substance.

Accordingly, the Disciplinary Panel moved into Full Hearing and the charge contrary to Regulation 3.1 of the Anti-Doping Regulations 2004 was put to Mr Wagg, and he pleaded guilty to it.

The hearing was then adjourned until 18th October 2004 to hear the cricketer’s mitigation and to determine the appropriate penalty.

Formal Statement by Graham Wagg

Graham Wagg of Warwickshire County Cricket Club and England A today pleaded guilty to failing a drugs test for cocaine held under the ECB’s anti-doping procedures.

Mr Wagg apologised to the Disciplinary Panel, Warwickshire CCC and the game of cricket at the earliest opportunity for bringing the game and his Club into disrepute.

Mr Wagg is deeply remorseful and determined to show his employers and cricket fans that he will accept the punishment meted out to him with humility and good grace.

Mr Wagg is grateful to the ECB’s Disciplinary Panel for indicating that they will be taking his guilty plea and remorse into account when considering his punishment at the hearing on 18th October.

Mr Wagg extends his thanks to his father, John, to Warwickshire and to the PCA for their help and support in this difficult period.

He will do all he can to return to top class cricket at the earliest opportunity as a better and stronger cricketer and to learn from this difficult experience.