Prithvi Shaw fails dope test; banned for eight months

'Mr. Shaw had inadvertently ingested a prohibited substance, which can be commonly found in cough syrups.'

India batsman Prithvi Shaw has been handed a back-dated eight-month suspension for a doping violation after ingesting a prohibited substance Terbutaline, BCCI said on Tuesday.

The BCCI said Shaw, who made his test debut last year, admitted to the Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) but the 19-year-old asserted that it was 'inadvertent', ingesting the substance when he had used an over-the-counter cough syrup.

"Prithvi Shaw, registered with Mumbai Cricket Association, has been suspended for doping violation," the BCCI said in a statement. "Mr. Shaw had inadvertently ingested a prohibited substance, which can be commonly found in cough syrups.

"Mr. Shaw had provided a urine sample as part of the BCCI's anti-doping testing program during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match on February 22, 2019 in Indore. His sample was subsequently tested and found to contain Terbutaline.

"The BCCI is satisfied with Mr. Shaw's explanation that he had taken Terbutaline inadvertently to treat a respiratory tract infection and not as a performance-enhancing drug."

The suspension has been backdated because Shaw admitted to taking the banned substance, in line with BCCI ADR Article 10.10.2, with the ban deemed to have started on March 16 and ending on November 15.

However, Shaw will be allowed to resume training with his state team after midnight on September 15.

The BCCI also said that two other domestic cricketers -- Akshay Dullarwar (Vidarbha) and Divya Gajraj (Rajasthan) -- were suspended for eight and six months, respectively, for similar inadvertent doping offences.