Veteran Leicestershire Seamer Chris Wright Serves Nine-Month Suspension Following Contaminated Supplement Incident
In a recent announcement, Leicestershire seamer Chris Wright has confirmed that he was served a nine-month suspension for an anti-doping violation after testing positive for a trace amount of a banned substance. The 38-year-old experienced cricketer revealed that the substance, Ostarine, was found in a contaminated food supplement he had been using.
“Despite the fact that it was accepted by the Cricket Regulator and the National Anti-Doping Agency that Wright had not intentionally taken the banned substance, which is not performance-enhancing, he was unable to avoid a suspension due to the regulations in place.”
The Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) has expressed its concern over the lack of thresholds for such cases, where it is clear that the athlete did not deliberately ingest the banned substance.
Wright, who signed a new contract with Leicestershire last year, has not featured for the county all season. In his statement, the cricketer expressed his shock at the positive test result and emphasized that he had fully disclosed the use of the contaminated supplement on his doping control form. He also thanked the PCA, Leicestershire CCC, and his family for their support during this “extremely difficult and trying time.”
The PCA has stated that it will be working with the World Players’ Association to lobby the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to review its stance on trace amounts of banned substances ingested via contamination. The players’ union believes that it is not fair or reasonable to place innocent athletes on lengthy suspensions in such cases.
Wright is now back in training and will be available to play for Leicestershire from July 19, due to the backdated nature of his suspension. This incident serves as a reminder to all athletes of the potential risks associated with supplement usage and the importance of thorough due diligence.
🔗 Source