Banned for doping, Yusuf grateful to BCCI for relief
NEWDELHI: Yusuf Pathan thanked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for giving him a fair opportunity to present his case after he tested positive for a banned substance ‘Terbutaline’. The all-rounder, who has played 57 ODIs and 22 T20s for India, was handed a five-month retrospective suspension for failing a dope test, a sanction which will end on January 14.
The 35-year-old had provided a urine sample as part of the BCCI’s anti-doping testing programme during a domestic T20 competition on March 16 last year.
His sample was subsequently tested and found to contain the above mentioned substance which is prohibited both in & out of competition in the World AntiDoping Agency (WADA) prohibited list of substances.
Yusuf Pathan took to Twitter to issue his statement.
“I had received a letter from the BCCI on 27.10.2017, stating that I had failed a doping test for the substance ‘terbutaline’. The prohibited substance was detected in my sample because of a medicine that I was taking for a throat infection,” said Pathan in a statement.
“Right from the first day I had full faith in Allah that I would be cleared of intentional doping. I have always competed in a fair and transparent manner. Competing for India and my home state Baroda has been a matter of immense pride and encouragement for me and I would never act in any manner to bring my motherland or Baroda, in any kind of disrepute.
“I would like to once again assure the BCCI, Baroda Cricket Association and my fans and I promise to be more careful with what I consume henceforth. In hindsight, I should have been more careful and checked the status of medications with BCCI’s dedicated Anti-Doping Helpline.
“I wish to thank the BCCI for allowing me to plead my case in a fair and reasonable manner. I also wish to thank my manager, my support staff, my family as well as my lawyer and his team for their continued support and faith throughout the case.
› I thank the BCCI for allowing me to plead my case in a fair and reasonable manner. I look forward to getting back to cricket post 14.1.2018 when my ban gets over YUSUF PATHAN, ex-India cricketer