South Africa Batter Zubayr Hamza Suspended After Testing Positive For Banned Drug

South Africa batter Zubayr Hamza has been suspended by Cricket South Africa after he tested positive for a prohibited substance, the CSA announced on Wednesday, March 23, 2022. Hamza, 26, has played in six Test matches and one one-day international.

A Cricket South Africa (CSA) statement said “the positive test followed an ICC anti-doping test on the 17 January 2022.” And as per reports, Zubayr Hamza has agreed to a voluntary suspension after testing positive for the banned substance.

The statement further said Hamza is “not disputing” the positive test, is “cooperating fully with the ICC” and has agreed to voluntary suspension commencing immediately while written submissions are presented to the ICC.

Last week Hamza, 26, was left out of the South Africa test squad announced for a two-test series against Bangladesh starting starts next week, with “personal reasons” cited as the reason.

Zubayr Hamza Is Not Disputing The Positive Test- Cricket South Africa

The CSA statement said that Zubayr Hamza tested positive for the substance Furosemide, which is not a performance-enhancing substance, and he has been able to identify how it entered his system. The cricketer has agreed to voluntary suspension as well. CSA has said that they are supporting the batter fully.

” The positive test relates to the substance Furosemide, which is not a performance enhancing substance, and Zubayr has been able to identify how the substance entered his system. The process to follow will entail presenting evidence that there was no fault or negligence, or no significant fault or negligence on the part of Zubayr. CSA, SACA and WPCA are supporting Zubayr in this process, and will continue to do so until the matter is concluded,” the CSA statement said.

Hamza, 26, had made his Test debut against Pakistan in early 2019 when he became South Africa’s 100th Test player since readmission. He made his ODI debut against the Netherlands in November last year and scored a 56 in a washout match before the series was called off before the Omicron variant of Covid postponed the remaining two ODIs.

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