Yusuf Pathan Still in the Dock for Doping, Case Pending With WADA

Cricketer Yusuf Pathan may soon be completing BCCI's retroactive five-month ban imposed on him for a first-time dope offense but as per the World Anti-Doping Agency's protocol, the case is active.

Indian all-rounder Pathan had yesterday handed a five-month retrospective suspension for failing a dope test, a sanction which will end on January 14 after the BCCI accepted his plea that the violation was inadvertent.
"This is a pending case, we are not in a position to comment," informed Maggie Durand, WADA's Manager, Media Relations and Communications in response to an email query by PTI that is the period of the ban imposed on him WADA-compliant

As per WADA Doping Code of 2015, a first-time offense is automatically a four-year suspension.

The BCCI had said in a statement, "Mr. Yusuf Pathan has been suspended for a doping violation. Mr. Pathan did inadvertently indested a prohibited substance, which is commonly used by cough syrup."

The 35-year-old Pathan, a member of the victorious Indian 2011 World Cup squad, had provided a urine sample as part of the BCCI's anti-doping test program during a domestic T20 competition on March 16 last year.

"His sample was later tested and found to contain Terbutaline. Terbutaline, a specific substance, is prohibited both in and out of the competition in the WADA Prohibited List of Substances," the BCCI said.

The all-rounder, who has played 57 ODIs and 22 T20 Internationals for India, charged with the "Commission of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under the BCCI Anti-Doping Rules (ADR) Article 2.1 and provisionally suspended pending resolutions of the charge ".

"Mr. Pathan responded to the charge by admitting the ADRV and asserting that it was caused by his ingestion of a drug containing Terbutaline that was mistakenly given him instead of medicines for the prescribed for him, which contained no prohibited substance, the BCCI explained.

The BCCI said it is "satisfied" with Pathan's explanation that he was using the medication to "treat an upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) and not as a performance-enhancing drug".

"BCCI has accepted Mr Pathan's explanation of his ADRV, and on that basis, agreeing that five months of ineligibility of a period of time apply, together with certain of the disqualification results, "the BCCI said.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said that Pathan had been suspended from August 28 last year and the Board has now decided to back-date

"There is a discretion under BCCI ADR Article 10.10.2 to back-date The start date of the period of ineligibility still further on account of Mr Pathan's prompt admission of his ADRV on being confronted with it by the BCCI, and under BCCI ADR Article 10.10 .1 on account of the delay in results in this case that is attributable to Mr Pathan.

"In all of the situations, the five-month period of ineligibility will be deemed to be run on 15 August 2017 and end at midnight on 14 January 2018," the board said.

The development comes amid the BCCI's stoic opposition to the National Anti-Doping Agency to test cricketers. The Board has refused to sign up with NADA

Significantly, the IPL players' auction is scheduled this month-end at Bengaluru and Pathan, a regular in the Kolkata Knight Riders team, will become eligible to be included in the list.