Indian all-rounder Yusuf Pathan has been suspended by the Board of Control for India in Cricket (BCCI) for five months on the grounds of a doping violation, reports.
Pathan’s sample, collected in March 2017, contained Terbutaline – a substance listed on the WADA Prohibited List of Substances.
He was provisionally suspended on October 27th last year pending determination of the charge.
The BCCI confirmed that the suspension period will be backdated to August 15th and thus the suspension will end on January 14th, 2018.
Pathan admitted to taking a medicine to treat his Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (URTI).
"Mr Pathan responded to the charge by admitting the ADRV and asserting that it was caused by his ingestion of a medication containing Terbutaline that had been mistakenly given to him instead of the medication prescribed for him, which did not contain any prohibited substance," said BCCI.
"The BCCI is satisfied with Pathan's explanation that he had taken Terbutaline inadvertently to treat an Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (URTI) and not as a performance-enhancing drug. Having considered all of the evidence and taken expert external advice, the BCCI has accepted Pathan's explanation of the cause of his ADRV, and on that basis has agreed that a period of ineligibility of five months should apply, together with the disqualification of certain results," it added.
BCCI also said that the backdating has happened because of Pathan's "prompt admission of his ADRV upon being confronted with it by the BCCI" and "delays in the results management in this case that are not attributable to Mr Pathan."
Mr Pathan issued a statement on his Twitter saying, “I look forward to getting back to cricket post 14.01.2018 after my ban gets over.”
