IPL player tests positive

The International Cricket Council have confirmed that an unnamed player tested positive for a banned substance during the recent Indian Premier League season.

The IPL adopted the ICC’s code on drugs, which conforms to World Anti-Doping Agency regulations, for the duration of the tournament which ran for six weeks until June 1.

The matter will be dealt with by the competition’s organisers, the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

The IPL have been informed that the player’s sample, taken during random WADA supervised tests, had tested positive.

Checks will be made to establish if the player in question had been taking any pre-declared prescribed drugs at the time of the test.

If not the player will be informed and a ‘B’ sample sent for testing. If that too were to prove positive the matter would be taken up by the IPL’s drugs tribunal.

IPL commissioner Lalit Modi has acknowledged that a player failed a random test but said there was a procedure to follow before actually concluding that a player was indeed guilty of using banned substances.

"First of all the identity of the player with the sample has to be matched," said Modi.

"Then the form, which the player filled before the tournament will be scrutinised for any pre-declared or prescribed drug use. If that matches the drug found in the sample, the matter ends there.

"If it does not, the player is informed and a 'B' sample would then be tested. If that sample also tests positive, the matter will be taken up by the IPL drugs tribunal."

He said the tribunal would consist of a doctor, a former cricketer and a lawyer. He said players can appeal the verdict of the tribunal in a separate appeals tribunal.

"This is just the procedure,” Modi added. “As of now we are at the first stage where one sample has tested positive."