Anti-Doping in Cricket: ICC Rules and Testing

Cricket's anti-doping programme is administered by the ICC in compliance with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code. All internationally contracted players are subject to in-competition and out-of-competition testing, and the ICC conducts testing at major tournaments and bilateral series. Member boards also operate domestic anti-doping programmes under their own authority.

The ICC Anti-Doping Code

The ICC Anti-Doping Code mirrors the WADA Code and prohibits a range of substances including anabolic agents, peptide hormones, stimulants, and specified methods such as blood doping. Players are required to maintain whereabouts information so they can be located for out-of-competition testing. Failure to provide whereabouts information is itself a potential violation.

Consequences of a Violation

A first anti-doping violation typically results in a ban of between one and four years, depending on the substance, the player's level of fault, and whether the violation involved a specified or non-specified substance. For the most serious violations, the ban can be up to four years. A second violation results in a lifetime ban. Players may apply to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to appeal decisions.

Therapeutic Use Exemptions

Players who need a prohibited substance for a legitimate medical reason can apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). A TUE must be granted before the substance is used, except in emergency medical situations. The application is reviewed by a panel of independent doctors. Common examples include asthma inhalers containing beta-2 agonists.