M A I N   N E W S

Warne tests positive, sent home

Johannesburg, February 11
In a severe blow to Australia’s World Cup campaign, star leg spinner Shane Warne tested positive for a banned substance and pulled out of the tournament today, hours before their opening match against Pakistan.

The ace leg-spinner, who was expected to play a key role in Australia’s title defence, tested positive for the banned diuretic arising out of medication he has been taking for his shoulder injury and was sent home.

The announcement was made by ACB Chief Executive James Sutherland at a hurriedly-called press conference here in which the 33-year-old Warne was also present.

Sutherland said that the Australian Drug Agency has confirmed its advise to Warne overnight and the ACB has referred the matter to ACB anti-doping committee.

Australia’s leading wicket-taker in both Tests and one-dayers, Warne notified the ACB that the sample provided by him to the Australian Sports Drug Agency had revealed traces of banned substances overnight following which the decision to send him back home was taken, Sutherland said.

A composed-looking Warne, who is the first casualty of the newly introduced doping regulation for the World Cup, said “I am shocked and devastated to be informed that test results of samples taken on January 22 indicated presence of a prohibited substance”.

Warne said: “I am shocked because I did not take performance enhancing drugs and never have and do not condone them in any way, shape or form.

“I’m proud to be in the shape I’m in at the moment which is due to nothing other than hard work and looking after myself with diet. I did take a fluid tablet before my comeback game in Sydney which I did not know contained a prohibited substance.”

Warne had dislocated his right shoulder in a fielding accident on December 15. He made a quicker than expected recovery and returned to the team in time for the VB Series finals against England in Australia late last month.

Warne said: “The tablet actually dehydrates you and gets rid of any excess fluid in your body and, as I understand it, is not performance-enhancing in any way.

During the match-fixing controversy in 1994, Warne and Mark Waugh had admitted taking money from an Indian bookie for pitch and weather information during a tour of Sri Lanka. They were fined and reprimanded by the ACB.

Warne, who has taken 491 wickets in Tests and 291 in one-dayers, said: “I have decided to return home in the best interests of the team in their World Cup campaign and to address the situation personally, which the ACB are very supportive of.

“As I’ve said, I’ve never taken any performance-enhancing drugs and I’m confident this matter will be cleared up very soon.”

Both Sutherland and Warne refused to take any questions. Australia will now apply to the World Cup Technical Committee for approval to replace Warne in the 15-member squad.

“We will advise the ICC of the situation and will apply to the technical committee for approval to replace Shane in the World Cup squad. We have asked the Australian national selection panel to suggest a replacement,” Sutherland said. He said the ACB’s Anti-Doping Committee will hold a hearing in Melbourne “as soon as possible”.

“If it finds that Shane has not committed an offence under the ACB’s policy, we will ask the World Cup Technical Committee for approval for him to be re-instated in the squad,” he said.

Sutherland said “We commend Shane for his open and co-operative approach (in) coming forward as soon as the information was raised with him, rather than follow the normal process of waiting for the ICC to conduct further tests.” PTI