Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shafali Verma served notice for missing dope tests: Sources

India cricketers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shafali Verma have been handed their first “missed test” notices by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), sources told India Today. The notices were issued under the whereabouts failure rule after they were not found at their declared locations for scheduled dope tests.

Both players have been given an opportunity to explain themselves, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also kept informed of the development. The notices mark the first recorded whereabouts failures for the two cricketers, who are part of NADA’s Registered Testing Pool (RTP).

WHAT THE RULE SAYS

Athletes included in NADA’s Registered Testing Pool are required to provide a designated time slot and location where they will be available for out-of-competition dope testing. A Doping Control Officer (DCO) can arrive during the declared period to collect samples, and failure to be present at the specified location can result in a missed test under anti-doping regulations.

According to the notices, a DCO attempted to conduct Yashasvi’s dope test on December 17 last year, while Shafali’s scheduled test was on November 7. In both cases, the players were not found at the locations they had declared.

NADA later sought explanations from the players on February 18 and 20 respectively, but neither responded, leading to the registration of their first missed tests.

A single missed test does not amount to an anti-doping violation. However, three whereabouts failures within a 12-month period can constitute a violation of anti-doping rules. If a player is unable to successfully defend themselves before NADA’s hearing panel, they could face a suspension of up to two years.

CRUCIAL TIME FOR BOTH JAISWAL, VERMA

The development comes at a crucial time for both players. Jaiswal is currently in action for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, with the franchise still in the hunt for a play-off spot.

Shafali, meanwhile, remains in the national set-up as India Women prepare for the Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales, beginning on June 12.

INSTANCES OF DOPING IN CRICKET

The development also revives memories of Prithvi Shaw’s doping case in 2019. The former India opener was handed a backdated eight-month suspension after the BCCI said he had inadvertently consumed a prohibited substance found in cough syrup.

Shaw’s urine sample, collected during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in February 2019, tested positive for Terbutaline, a substance banned both in and out of competition under the World Anti-Doping Agency code.

While Jaiswal and Shafali’s cases do not currently amount to anti-doping violations, the notices serve as a warning under NADA’s strict compliance framework.

- Ends

Click here to read article