Young Bangladesh pacer handed two-year ban for doping violation

PTI, Jul 27, 2020, 10:22 AM IST

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Dhaka: Young Bangladesh pacer Kazi Anik Islam has been handed a two-year ban by the national cricket board for failing a dope test in 2018.

Kazi, who was Bangladesh”s leading wicket-taker in the 2018 U-19 World Cup, tested positive for Methamphetamine, a prohibited substance, during a National Cricket League game in the same year. The 21-year-old admitted to the offense.

“ln Mr Anik”s case in considering his level of Fault, the BCB has considered his youth and relative inexperience, the fact that he did not ingest the Prohibited Substance in an effort to enhance his sports performance, his limited anti-doping education and his prompt admission of the anti-doping rule violation when first notified to him,” said the Bangladesh Cricket Board in a statement.

His two-year ban began on February 8, 2019.

“ln addition to this, in considering the appropriate sanction, the BCB is giving him credit for agreeing on an outcome that avoids the need for a hearing and so saves considerable time and money for use elsewhere in the fight against doping.

“ln light of all of this, the BCB considers that a period of ineligibility of two (2) years is reasonable and proportionate in respect of Mr Anik”s case.”

Kazi has played four first-class games, taking 15 wickets.