Minutes after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) suspending him for a doping violation, a "shaken" Prithvi Shaw on Sunday released a statement saying he takes full responsibility for unknowingly consuming the banned anti-asthma drug, Terbutaline.
Shaw was charged with the commission of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under the BCCI Anti-Doping Rules (ADR) Article 2.1 on July 16, 2019, resulting in a back-dated suspension, for eight months, which will end on November 15.
The 19-year-old, who made a rousing start to his international career by scoring a hundred on Test debut against the West Indies last year, took to Twitter to share an emotional message:
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Here's the complete text:
"I have come to know today that I will not be able to play cricket till mid November 2019.
"This is in light of a prohibited substance present in the cough syrup which I inadvertently took when I had severe cough & cold while playing for my Mumbai team during Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament in Indore in February 2019.
"I was coming back off a freakish foot injury which I suffered during the India tour of Australia and I was returning to active cricket in that tournament. However out of my over eagerness to play, I didn't follow the protocol of being careful in consuming a basic over the counter cough syrup.
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"I accept my fate with all sincerety. While I am still nursing an injury which I suffered during my last tournament, this news has really shaken me. I have to take this in my stride & hope it inspires others in our sports fratenity too in India that we as athletes need to be extremely careful in taking any medicine for the smallest of medical ailments even if the medicine is available over the counter & we need to always follow the protocol.
"I thank BCCI for all the support & also my near & dear ones who have always stood by me. Cricket is my life & there is no bigger pride for me than playing for India & Mumbai and I will come out of this faster & stronger. Thank you again everyone for your support."
Besides the Mumbai player, the BCCI also suspended two other domestic players – Rajasthan's Divya Gajraj and Vidarbha's Akshay Dullarwar – for committing the same offence, inadvertently.
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For the record, Shaw is not the first Indian cricketer to have 'caught' using Terbutaline. Last year, veteran all-rounder Yusuf Pathan also had inadvertently ingested the prohibited substance to be suspended for five months.
About Shaw's suspension, the BCCI said: "Shaw had provided a urine sample as part of the BCCI's anti-doping testing programme during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match on February 22 in Indore. His sample was subsequently tested and found to contain Terbutaline.
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"Terbutaline, a specified substance, is prohibited both In & Out of Competition in the WADA Prohibited List of Substances.
What is Terbutaline?
It is generally used to treat problems related to breathing and can be consumed if the athlete in question avails a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) certificate in advance.
In this case, the Indian cricketer didn't avail the prior permission. Under TUE, players may can use a prohibited medication to treat a legitimate medical condition.
In 2016, the technical director of British Cycling, Shane Sutton, resigned just 100 days before the Rio Olympic Games after Simon Yates' tested positive for it.
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"On 16th July 2019, Shaw was charged with the commission of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under the BCCI Anti-Doping Rules (ADR) Article 2.1 and provisionally suspended pending determination of the charge. Shaw responded to the charge by admitting the ADRV but asserting that it was inadvertent, being caused by his ingestion of the over the counter cough syrup he had taken for his cough.
"The BCCI is satisfied with Shaw's explanation that he had taken Terbutaline inadvertently to treat an Respiratory Tract Infection and not as a performance-enhancing drug. Having considered all of the evidence and taken expert external advice, the BCCI has accepted Shaw's explanation of the cause of his ADRV, and on that basis has agreed that a period of ineligibility of eight months should apply, together with disqualification of certain results."
