Bangladesh pace bowler Shohidul Islam has been suspended for 10 months from all forms of cricket after pleading guilty of breaching Article 2.1 of the ICC’s Anti-Doping Code. The right-armer had provided his urine sample as part of the ICC’s out-of-competition testing programme in March earlier this year. The Tests revealed the presence of Clomifene, which as per the governing body, is a specified substance under WADA’s prohibited list.
The ICC, however, clarified that Shohidul had unintentionally consumed the prohibited substance in the form of medicine that he had been legally prescribed for therapeutic purposes. In his testament to the international body, the fast bowler said he did not intend to use the substance to enhance performance.
Shohidul, who has represented Bangladesh in a solitary T20I, had been part of the Bangladesh squads for the away series against New Zealand and South Africa, but he did not play any match. He was also included in the Bangladesh Test and T20I squads for the tour of the West Indies, but a side strain sidelined him.
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury also clarified that Shohidul had taken medicine for personal reasons, but later it was found that it contained the prohibited substance.
“He took medicine for personal reason but did not communicate with us properly, and later it was found that he was guilty of breaching ICC anti-doping code of conduct. He did not do it intentionally, and that is the reason he was given only 10 months suspension, otherwise, the duration could have been more,” said Nizamuddin, as quoted by Cricbuzz.
