The Indian Premier League continues to be mired in controversy even though it was over a month ago. An unnamed cricketer has tested positive for drugs in the random tests conducted during the inaugural season of the IPL that ended on June 1.
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) officials had taken random samples during the tournament, and it has confirmed that one player failed the test.
The identity of the player is not clear but it is believed that it is a pace bowler from the sub-continent.
IPL Chairman and Commissioner Lalit Modi confirmed that there was indeed a positive dope test. "We have been conveyed by WADA. One player has tested positive, according to random tests conducted by a Swiss lab. We do not know who he is."
Fourteen players were tested in all during the tests which got underway one month after the IPL began. "Two days ago the IPL received a letter from a Swiss agency, mandated by WADA, which said one sample had tested positive. The IPL will follow set procedures from now on," Modi said.
Modi said that once the player is identified, he would have to produce a prescription to justify the use of the drug.
"The testing is done in two stages. If the player has a prescription, it’s okay and the process gets over in stage one. But if the first stage fails and the player does not have a prescription for the drug, he has to be present at the lab with an IPL official to authenticate. If result is positive, then the matter goes to the drug tribunal of IPL that includes lawyer Shishir Gupte, and Sunil Gavaskar," Modi added.
In case that does not happen, the player is informed and a 'B' sample is sent for testing. If that, too, is positive the matter will be taken up by the IPL's drugs tribunal.
The IPL Chairman explained that the results of the dope tests took time to come out because there isn't a WADA-accredited laboratory in India. "The results take six weeks to come as there’s no WADA-authenticated lab in India. The samples are sent to Malaysia or Switzerland," he said, adding: "I am not worried, we will stick to the procedure."
The IPL sprang into action when reports from Pakistan suggested that fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar was found carrying syringes in bulk on his way to India to participate in the competition to play for Kolkata Knight Riders. Organisers promptly announced random dope tests a month into the tournament.
Mohammad Asif, who along with Shoaib were ejected from the 2006 Champions Trophy after testing positive for a banned substance, was later detained at the Dubai airport for 19 days for alleged possession of opium while he was returning from India en route to Pakistan. Asif had played a pivotal part in Delhi's run to the semi-finals of the inaugural competition.
Asif was released by the authorities in Dubai, but a PCB-appointed tribunal will soon begin its own inquiry into the matter.
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