Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Nawaz sanctioned for anti-doping code breach

Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz has been sanctioned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for breaching anti-doping regulations. The violation stemmed from a positive test for Carboxy-THC, a substance found after a T20 World Cup match on February 7.

Nawaz admitted to the offense, and the ICC acknowledged that the substance was used out-of-competition and unrelated to sport performance. Consequently, the 32-year-old cricketer received a three-month period of ineligibility. However, this ban was backdated to May 1, the date Nawaz began a voluntary provisional suspension.

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Nawaz admitted to the offence and demonstrated that the substance had been used out-of-competition, in a manner unrelated to sport performance.

Further reducing the ineligibility to one month, Nawaz committed to a substance abuse rehabilitation program. The ICC stated that if he completes this program to their satisfaction, he will not face any further period of ineligibility. His provisional suspension has since been lifted after serving two-and-a-half months. Despite the reduced ban, records from the Netherlands match and subsequent games until May 1 have been disqualified as per the anti-doping code. This case follows previous doping bans for Pakistani cricketers Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Asif, and Yasir Shah.

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Subject to Nawaz completing a substance abuse treatment programme to the ICC’s satisfaction, Nawaz will not be required to serve any further period of ineligibility.