Cricket South Africa has banned South African batsman Zubayr Hamza after he tested positive for a prohibited drug, the CSA stated on Wednesday, March 23, 2022. Hamza, who is 26 years old, has appeared in six Tests and one one-day international.
“The positive test followed an ICC anti-doping test on the 17th of January 2022,” Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced in a statement. Zubayr Hamza, meantime, has consented to a voluntary suspension after testing positive for the prohibited chemical, according to sources.
Hamza is “not challenging” the positive test, “cooperating completely with the ICC,” and has consented to a voluntary ban beginning immediately until written representations are submitted to the ICC, according to the statement.
Hamza, 26, was left out of South Africa’s test team revealed last week for a two-test series against Bangladesh that begins next week, citing “personal reasons.”
Cricket South Africa’s Zubayr Hamza Doesn’t Refute The Positive Test
Zubayr Hamza tested positive for the chemical Furosemide, which is not a performance-enhancing drug, according to the CSA statement, and he was able to determine how it reached his system. In addition, the cricketer has consented to a voluntary ban. The CSA has said that they completely support the batter.
The positive test was for the drug Furosemide, which isn’t a performance enhancer, and Zubayr was able to figure out how the substance got into his system. The next step will be to produce proof that Zubayr was not at fault or negligent, or that there was no serious fault or carelessness on his behalf. According to the CSA statement, “CSA, SACA, and WPCA are supporting Zubayr in this process and will continue to do so until the issue is resolved.”
Hamza, 26, made his Test debut in early 2019 against Pakistan, becoming South Africa’s 100th Test player since readmission. In November of last year, he made his ODI debut against the Netherlands, scoring 56 in a washout match before the series was called off due to the Omicron form of Covid postponing the next two ODIs.