27-year-old Punjab wicketkeeper-batsman Abhishek Gupta has been suspended by BCCI for eight months due to a doping violence. While the term has been started from January 15, it will run until September 14.
BCCI released a statement on that suspension where it claimed, “Gupta had inadvertently ingested a prohibited substance (terbutaline), which can be commonly found in cough syrups.”
BCCI further added that the terbutaline is a prohibited substance in World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules.
BCCI mentioned in that statement, “Gupta had provided a urine sample as part of the BCCI’s anti-doping testing program during a domestic T-20 competition on 15th January in New Delhi. His sample was subsequently tested and found to contain Terbutaline. Terbutaline, a specified substance, is prohibited both In & Out of Competition in the WADA Prohibited List of Substances.”
While Gupta was charged in April for anti-doping rule violation, he admitted that charge by claiming that he took that banned substance of his doctor’s prescription.
BCCI noted that point, “On 17th April 2018, Mr. Gupta 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.
“Gupta responded to the charge by admitting the ADRV but asserting that it was inadvertent, being caused by his ingestion of medication containing Terbutaline that had been prescribed for him by his doctor.”
The Indian cricket board has also satisfied with the cricketer’s explanation and suspended him for the eight months, starting from January 15.
BCCI stated, “The BCCI is satisfied with Gupta’s explanation that he had taken Terbutaline inadvertently to treat an URTI and not as a performance-enhancing drug. Having considered all of the evidence and taken expert external advice, the BCCI has accepted Gupta’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.”
Gupta made his domestic professional debut in October 2017 and has played six first-class matches, six List-A matches and nine T20 matches. During Sri Lanka’s two-day tour game against India Board President XI at Kolkata in last November, Gupta was selected in the 15-man squad of India Board President.
