Afghan cricketer Mohammad Shahzad charged with breaching ICC Anti-Doping Code

Dubai: The International Cricket Council on Thursday announced that Afghanistan's wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Shahzad has been charged with an anti-doping rule violation under the ICC Anti-Doping Code.

The sample Shahzad provided in an out-of-competition test, which was conducted on January 17 at the ICC Academy here and analysed at the WADA-accredited laboratory in Salt Lake City, was found to contain Clenbuterol, a prohibited substance which appears in Section 1.2 of the WADA Prohibited List (in the category of other anabolic agents).

"In accordance with the ICC Anti-Doping Code, pending the outcome of the disciplinary process, Shahzad will be provisionally suspended, with such suspension coming into effect on 26 April 2017, unless he exercises his right to challenge the imposition of the provisional suspension before such date," the ICC said in a statement.

The matter will now be dealt with in accordance with the process set down in the code, and until such time as the process is resolved, the ICC said it will make no further comment on this matter.

Within five days from the date of the notice of the charge, Shahzad has the right to request that his B sample is analysed.

Within 12 days from the date of the notice of charge, Shahzad can challenge the imposition of the provisional suspension at a provisional hearing, in which case the provisional suspension will not be imposed until the challenge is determined.

If Shahzad decides not to exercise his right to challenge the imposition of the provisional suspension within the 12-day deadline, his provisional suspension will immediately commence on April 26.

Shahzad has to respond to the charge within 14 days. If he fails to do so, he will be deemed to have waived his entitlement to a hearing and admitted to having committed the anti-doping rule violation.