ICC bans Yasir Shah for three months
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Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah has been banned for three months by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after testing positive for a banned substance in December.
The 29-year-old will be available to play again on March 27.
Shah was provisionally suspended on December 27 after his “A” sample contained a banned substance - chlortalidone - which is on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appealed against Shah’s ban on January 10 after the leg-spinner was said to have taken his wife's blood pressure medication without knowing that it contained the banned substance.
Yasir has 76 Test scalps in 12 Tests for his country and holds the record for being the fastest Pakistani bowler to reach the 50-wicket mark.
In a statement detailing the findings of Yasir's case, the ICC said it had 'accepted that Mr Shah had inadvertently ingested the ‘Specified Substance’ for therapeutic reasons, specifically to treat his blood pressure.'
"He [Yasir] was able to satisfy the ICC through evidence and submissions prepared on his behalf by the Pakistan Cricket Board that he had no intention to enhance his sporting performance or to mask the use of another performance enhancing substance and had, instead, mistakenly taken his wife’s blood pressure medication that was identical in appearance to his own but which contained the prohibited substance chlortalidone," the ICC said.
Yasir, who issued a joint statement with the ICC, assured his fans that he had 'never taken a performance enhancing drug.'
“I assure all fans and followers of the Pakistan cricket team that I have never taken a performance enhancing substance nor have I ever had the intent of masking any such substance,” Yasir said.
“I have always been careful to check my medication with doctors and medical support staff to ensure it does not contain any substance on the prohibited list.”
“I acknowledge that I should have taken extra precautions to ensure that my blood pressure medication was stored separately from my wife’s medication so that there was no possibility of my wife’s medication being mistaken for my own. Therefore, I accept the consequences imposed upon me,” he added.
Although Yasir will be eligible to represent Pakistan on March 27, it's unclear whether he will be part of the team's World Twenty20 plans with the tournament running from March 11 to April 3.
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Comments (68) Closed
Feb 07, 2016 02:43pm
Pakistan and Yasir will accept 3 months. Lucky to get away with this. Hope he learns a lesson and does not do this again.
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Feb 07, 2016 02:46pm
Well, i am sure Pakistan can not blame conspiracies of the world and ICC for the paltry ban of 3 months. Yasir Shah, as the saying goes...got away with one!
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Feb 07, 2016 02:47pm
why is he not being monitored by PCB regularly to ensure he dont take wrong drugs
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Feb 07, 2016 02:49pm
hmmmm...once again, before the t20 WC, he will be released like they did with Saeed Ajmal before the WC..
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Feb 07, 2016 02:49pm
Just they want to put him out of T20 world cup and they succeeded.
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Feb 07, 2016 02:50pm
Lucky man.Dnt do this mistake again!! U r the future n Genious of pakistan team.Pak team now shaping up wth u Amir ,Haris Sohail.Need a proper opening batsman.
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Feb 07, 2016 02:51pm
Yasir Shah and other potential takers of medicines or herbal remedies.
Please double make sure that you can take it and especially "if the medicines belongs to your wife or others".
Your childish actions cost the country.
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Feb 07, 2016 02:51pm
Congratulations Yasir, hit the gym hard and get ready to get back, Pakistan cricket needs you. And by the way stay away from your wife's heart medications- there are things that we should not share with, no matter who it is!!! Good luck.
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Feb 07, 2016 02:52pm
ok fine bcz he is good bowler &all the time he smilis thats i like it . once i thought he might ban for 1 year or more like warne but he apologize his mistake . but i genral PCB look all thesse matter seriously .
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Feb 07, 2016 02:53pm
Good work by the ICC. A fair and just sentence was given as he had mistakenly taken his wife's blood pressure medicine. It will teach him and other players to get approval from their doctors before taking random medicine
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Feb 07, 2016 02:57pm
He got very lucky there. Usually ignorance in not an excuse, and if he is careless enough to go around taking medicine as he feels, he deserves to be punished. The conspiracy theorists will go about saying this was done to deny Pakistan the T20, however Yasir was never picked for the T20 team regularly anyway as all slots there are typically reserved for Afridi's best friends. At least we'll see him play in the summer test series in England and beyond.
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Feb 07, 2016 03:03pm
I am happy that he is going to get away with 3 months ban but we have lost him for T20 WC which anyways we are not going to win so overall its an acceptable ban.
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Feb 07, 2016 03:09pm
Eventually, his smile saved him from being cried for a longer period of time. Magar aenda khiyal rakna !!
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Feb 07, 2016 03:11pm
Phew! Could have been worse. Be careful in future Yasir and stay fit
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Feb 07, 2016 03:15pm
Will he be able to play for Lahore Qalandars.
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Feb 07, 2016 03:20pm
Why always Pakistan's best performance player get bans before measure tournament like WC? For various reasons. Why not other nations? There are many Indians, Sri-Lanka and West Indies spin bowlers complete their career without being scrutinized. Something is fishy
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Feb 07, 2016 03:23pm
Consider yourself lucky Yasir
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Feb 07, 2016 03:26pm
Thanku Icc. Pakistan needed this lucky break.
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Feb 07, 2016 03:30pm
The said drug does not impact much on the "good" performance of bowler or batsman. If at all "the drug" would impact in doing bad performance as that is likely to have sedative influence on the body.
So, my question is why the drug is listed as illegal. There are thousands of drugs that have similar effects.....
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Feb 07, 2016 03:34pm
@Awais Ali - You mean he is innocent, he shouldn't have been punished for 3 months???
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Feb 07, 2016 03:55pm
These guys are professional player making a lot of money due to their skills and they don't know how to take medications carefully. It is sad that we carry such a rough attitude in all walks of life.
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Feb 07, 2016 03:55pm
Yasir shah is very lucky only 3 month ban. PCB done the deal with BCCI and now they lose again in world T20 match.
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Feb 07, 2016 03:57pm
Such a lucky man. Shane Warne was caught with the same drug in his blood by the Australian authorities (Not by ICC). Still he was banned for one year by Australia. Yasir shah is absolutely lucky .
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Feb 07, 2016 04:02pm
So he will miss the WC and return back.
no comments :)
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Feb 07, 2016 04:09pm
He should consider himself lucky to get away with a small punishment. Ring bells for other players. Be cautious.
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Feb 07, 2016 04:17pm
Innocent mistake given light reprimanding punishment.
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Feb 07, 2016 04:17pm
After Ajmal ... now ICC is raking in all new spinners who could cause problems to any one of big3 will always remain under ban ( due whatever or no reasons at all ).
wonder if ICC or their 'elite umpires' are blind to see Ashwin's action, though he had yet to get a trophy for his country in big matches but still his action is suspect if not dubious....
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Feb 07, 2016 04:40pm
Well there are elements behind the screen who always make sure Pakistani bowlers are banned before any big tournament
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Feb 07, 2016 04:41pm
How convinent! Ban him for the world cup. Pakistan need to get out of this farce called ICC. It will fall like house of cards.
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Feb 07, 2016 04:41pm
Excellent news. Now Yasir be very careful with medicines. Very talented cricketer.
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Feb 07, 2016 04:58pm
I can not believe he won't be in all important tournaments such as t20 world Cup & Asia cup. ICC is playing mighty games with Pakistan..first Saeed ajmal now yasir shah.
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Feb 07, 2016 05:36pm
Just before every big event, the ICC bans our main players for one reason or the other.
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Feb 07, 2016 05:41pm
I do not agree with this verdict. If the ban substance indeed came from the medicine, then he should just be given a warning.
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Feb 07, 2016 05:50pm
Having read the judgement, this decision is just pathetic.
The medication is not listed as banned for only two small sports games like archery and fencing, and no mention of cricket, football or hockey or any major game.
This decision is simply heavy handed and I think the ultimate objective was to get him out of the T20 World Cup. Just like what they did to Shoaib Akhtar and Asif in one of the previous one day world cups.
Players are vulnerable people - anyone wanting to tarnish their reputation could spike their meal or drink, resulting in a catastrophic decision for the player. The ICC needs to get its act together. The administrators have ruined cricket since 2003 onwards. We are no longer creating stars like Wasim, Botham, Imran, Tendulkar, Jaque Kallis, Waugh Bros.
Cricket is no longer a game of gentlemen, its reduced to a cash pony!
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Feb 07, 2016 06:09pm
IF ICC was satisfied with the version of Yasir then why slapping a ban on him? Conspiracy of BIG THREE to minimize Pakistan's chance to win the T-20 world cup
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Feb 07, 2016 06:15pm
He really got away with this one! This will send wrong message to the youngsters.
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Feb 07, 2016 06:25pm
Short enough that Pak fans can celebrate but long enough to render him useless for T20 WC.
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Feb 07, 2016 06:27pm
He even didn't play t20 or odi before.So it should be fine .
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Feb 07, 2016 06:49pm
common sense prevailed, but he is lucky. Well done PCB, now please make all the players aware of the banned drugs. They should be all educated. they should know the dangers.
It looks bad, but it might be a good thing him not play, T20.
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Feb 07, 2016 06:53pm
I don't understand why so many conspiracy theories. I think this mindset needs to change. Yasir Shah doesn't play T20 for Pakistan since he is a regular feature in ODI and Tests. First when he was banned, the excuse was made that the drug itself was not a banned substance and this is a conspiracy by ICC and India. Now, when he only got 3 months ban (when Shane Warne got 1 year ban), again conspiracy theories are being floated that India did this so that he can't play T20 World Cup as it Yasir Shah is the one who was going to win the World Cup for Pakistan single handedly, if not banned. Yasir doesn't even play for Pakistan T20 Team. First let him find a place in the national team before blaming India and ICC. Even in the case of Ajmal, Ashwin is being blamed for illegal action just to balance the argument. Ajmal had issue with his bowling action. Whether we like it or not, it was a fact. Ashwin has a very clean bowling action. Please come out of this victimhood mindset.
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Feb 07, 2016 07:03pm
@Awais Ali
Everyone knows that he is not a regular player in pakistani T20 team, but keep blaming BCCI and ICC for his mistake. Even he agreed that he took her wife's medicine by mistake.
Meanwhile please let me know how many T20 he has played for pakistan and his stats
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Feb 07, 2016 07:08pm
@Jonty Rhodes
Very well said Jonty. He is not a member of pakistaani team T20. They know that, still they raise hell lot of conspiracy theories .
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Feb 07, 2016 07:36pm
Those who advocate this player should see the case of ben jonsen and armstrong also
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Feb 07, 2016 08:59pm
A great escape..means he will not miss the test matches against England, will, however, miss the World T20 and Asia Cup. Yasir should learn from his stupidity. PCB medical staff should play a more active role in educating players about the dangers of substance abuse including health consequences. seems like it was a genuine mistake. Anyone who has doubts should read the report. It shows he and his family do have blood pressure problems. I have been critical of PCB and the way they sometimes conducted themselves in the past but you have to give them credit here with the way they handled Yasir's defence.
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Feb 07, 2016 09:05pm
He informed anti doping officer and even mentioned it in the form which is quite an adequate corroborative evidence. ICC and big 3 just dont want him in the T20 WC and thats why they have given him 3 months.
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Feb 07, 2016 09:10pm
Mistakes do happen and no doubt he is lucky but I accept his explanation and hope to see him soon.
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Feb 07, 2016 09:12pm
It'd be wrong to say that ICC has wrong intentions behind the ban. He could have been banned for much more longer as compared to now like a Sri Lankan player who was slapped with a staggering 4 years ban.
I reckon we should be rather be delighted over him getting away with the crime which he had inadvertently committed.
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Feb 07, 2016 09:19pm
Question is why would you take your wife's BP medicine ?????
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Feb 07, 2016 10:06pm
@Jonty Rhodes Very well said Jonty! I agree with you that Pakistanis need to take a chill pill and stop behaving as conspiracy theorists. But gladly, not all of us, including myself are like that. In fact, I think it is a pretty lenient verdict and as you pointed out, it does not affect Pakistan's slim T-20 World Cup hopes anyway. Having said all that Jonty, may I ask you if you are the real Jonty Rhodes, the legend of the game??
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Feb 07, 2016 10:43pm
@mo He cannot be monitored in his home,but definitely he can be sent to complete basic academics where he will understand and be literate to know what is good or bad for him.Sometime I wonder whether they are able to count how many runs remaining for team to win.
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Feb 07, 2016 11:02pm
Typical ,just not to follow the authorities and rules. Always consider yourself smarter and think system as a ribbish. Story of my country. Don't suffer your self and other just believe in system.
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Feb 07, 2016 11:15pm
subcontinent players should be more carefull.
even simple anti cold drug is also prohibited in wada
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Feb 07, 2016 11:47pm
Self medication ,hakeems,quacks are rampant in our culture. Most of these so called cures are steroid laced,thus providing short term "fast" relief.
As a society we believe in short cut without care for long term consequence.
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Feb 07, 2016 11:48pm
Any one remember Asif!
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Feb 08, 2016 12:20am
Give the guy a break. At that moment of HBP one usually takes what ever is available, because the reasoning co-efficient goes out the door and one has to stabilize before loosing conscience .
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Feb 08, 2016 12:50am
That was a surprisingly light sentence, despite the fact that he took it unintentionally. See you back on the field soon, Yasir.
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Feb 08, 2016 02:54am
He got away with negligible punishment this will start bad precedent as others will got away lightly n future.
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Feb 08, 2016 03:23am
As per WADA rules chlortalidone is only banned if you are in competition. Yasir Shah was not playing at the time of the test then how did he commit an offence?
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Feb 08, 2016 05:17am
YS & others can learn lesson, & avoid such unlawful actions.
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Feb 08, 2016 06:00am
Best of luck Yasir.
We know that you're one of the few honest cricketers in the world.
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Feb 08, 2016 07:04am
@Ibrahim For that Pakistan need to improve it's batting,running between wicket and fielding.Otherwise even God can't help in shorter version.There running between wicket and fielding is horrendous as they take there place for granted .
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Feb 08, 2016 07:07am
@Pakistani-Australian They lack basic education that is why they are easily vulnerable.They don't even realize the medicine he was taking could end his life.Height of stupidness.
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Feb 08, 2016 07:52am
This is called laidback attitude of both the players and PCB. How long will it take them to act responsibly as a professional?
When will they learn their lessons? They have created a bad image of the organization as a whole and then they are totally careless about their own career.
Yassir Shah is not a baby , that someone has to remind him not to take any medication without Dr. permission. PCB on the other hand has no system set up to catch such mistakes and correct them before ICC does.
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Feb 08, 2016 09:11am
@ahmed Nothing is Fishy... why are you living a world of conspiracies..Seek the truth... He said he took his wife's medicine by mistake. You mean to say ICC put his wife's medicine in his shirt pockets?
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Feb 08, 2016 09:51am
@ahmed
The only thing fishy here is our actions.
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Feb 08, 2016 10:33am
Shah sahib be careful while taking wife medicines.....
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Feb 08, 2016 01:42pm
In my view, these young players are not having a good educational background like players in the 80's plus PCB is not training and educating them with the latest ICC laws. Nowadays, a player should have both skills, bowling or batting as well as the laws.
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Feb 08, 2016 04:14pm
@Haroon Rashid Khan .Are bhai, just before big tournament why do your guys resort to mishief ?
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