ICC clears Perera of doping charges

Dubai, May 12:  The Intertiol Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday withdrew discipliry charges against Sri Lankan batsman Kusal Perera and lifted the provisiol suspension imposed on him for doping.

“Perera is, therefore, now free to return to domestic and intertiol cricket without restriction and with immediate effect,” the ICC said in a statement.

The ICC made the decision after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited laboratory in Qatar withdrew its origil Adverse Alytical Finding following further investigations.

ICC Chief Executive David Richardsons said: “We are seeking an urgent explation from WADA and the laboratory in an attempt to understand what has transpired and what will be done to ensure it does not happen again.

“No evidence that Perera has cheated through the use of performance enhancing substances.

“We wish to make it clear that there is no evidence that Perera has ever used performance-enhancing substances and we wish him well in his future cricketing endeavours.”

In November 2015, the WADA-accredited laboratory in Qatar reported to the ICC that urine samples collected out-of-competition from Perera had tested positive for 19-Norandrostenedione, an abolic steroid prohibited under WADA’s prohibited list.

Since then Perera was involved in a legal fight with the ICC on the suspension. IANS