Pakistan's Imran Butt faces three-month Ban for failing dope Test

The promising youngster Imran Butt, who represents the reigning Quaid-e-Azam trophy champion Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has been handed a three-month ban while taking the Pakistan Cricket Board’s Anti-doping regulations into consideration.

The ban was imposed over Butt while considering the rules of 2016 as he was already suspended for featuring in all forms of the game.

“Under the PCB Anti-Doping Rules 2016 (“PCB Rules”), a three (03) month period of ineligibility has been imposed on a cricketer, Imran Butt pursuant to his request for an “Agreed Sanction”’ PCB media statement said.

Pertinently, the 22-year-old right-handed batsman was tested positive during the premier domestic competition Quaid-e-Azam Trophy in December 2017 after the Board opted for the random tests on October 5.

The In-competition test falls well in the rules and the Article 5.2 of the PCB’s rulebook.

The chairman of the PCB Najam Sethi made it clear by saying such prohibited things won’t be accepted at any cost and the board has been worked hard throughout – to put an end to such menace.

“PCB has a zero-tolerance policy towards doping in cricket and hopes that in future cricketers will exercise utmost care to ensure that no Prohibited Substance enters their bodies,” Sethi said.

Moreover, the banned substance Pseudoephedrine was found in the urine sample of Butt, who faced the two different charges for his glaring mistake.

“He was charged with two anti-doping violations of the PCB Rules,” PCB’s presser added.

Butt further accepted his fault and revealed he had no intention to malign the gentleman’s game and Pakistan cricket in particular.

“Imran accepts that he has committed the violations, but not intentionally and with no intent to cheat,” the release asserted.

Reflecting on the sanction from the PCB which is subsequently supposed to remain intact until February 6, 2018, because the provisional suspension period has also been included in an ineligibility procedure, PCB said:

“The period of the Provisional Suspension shall be credited against the total period of ineligibility, such that the period of Ineligibility shall expire at midnight on 6th February 2018,” release concluded.

Interestingly, Butt was one of the members of the PSL franchise Lahore Qalandars for its third edition which will be beginning in February.

The inquiry committee set up by the Board has already grilled Butt before handing over a 90-day ban.

It’s pertinent to mention at least six players were suspended during the second edition of the cash-rich Pakistan Super League (PSL) which further saw international cricketers Khalid Latif and Sharjeel Khan been imposed five-year ban respectively.

Interestingly, Butt was one of the members of the PSL franchise Lahore Qalandars for its third edition which will be beginning in February.

In the past, Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah revealed he accidentally consumed the medication prescribed to his wife in 2015 after his dope test in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and in a similar way he was handed over a three-month ban by the world cricket governing body ICC.

The ban had already seen former speedster Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif failing to clear the In-competition sample tests.

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