Dope process followed for Prithvi Shaw absolutely okay, says WADA

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has provided a clean chit to the process followed in the cases of teen sensation Prithvi Shaw and two other cricketers, who were recently suspended by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for six to eight months.

The BCCI suspended Akshay Dullarwar and Divya Gajraj besides Shaw on July 30 after which questions were raised over the procedure of the testing and the granting of punishment. The WADA had said on the occasion that it would review the specific case but on Thursday, it concluded that the procedure had not violated its code and there would be no appeal against the punishments before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The agency also concluded after a thorough review of the three cases that all decisions were in line with the World Anti-Doping Code. The review included advice from external legal counsel as well. “We will not be lodging an appeal,” the WADA was quoted by Bangalore Mirror as saying.

Shaw consumed cough syrup to the surprise of BCCI

Shaw’s case particularly made the headlines for the youngster is a promising cricketer who is also seen as a successor to the legacy of the great Sachin Tendulkar. He started his international career with a bang by hitting a hundred on Test debut against the West Indies at home last year though he hasn’t played more than two matches so far since he got injured in the tour of Australia before playing any Test.

The Mumbai cricketer also confessed to having consumed cough syrup that contained banned Terbutaline. The BCCI was satisfied with the 19-year-old’s explanation though it also expressed surprise as to how an international cricketer, who has even captained India in the U19 World Cup, could have taken a syrup without consulting the physio.

“The BCCI has always had a robust anti-doping programme. It has been transparent about what it was doing on this front. All reports were tested at the WADA-accredited laboratories and reports were being sent to the ICC and WADA,” the Indian cricket board’s new anti-doping head Abhijit Salvi was quoted as saying by the Mirror.

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