Russell likely to play World T20 despite doping violation

Johannesburg : West Indies cricketer Andre Russell is likely to take part in the upcoming World Twenty20 after the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission said that the all-rounder would not be suspended until a hearing into his ‘anti-doping whereabouts’ rule violation. Russell, who has been included in the West Indies squad for next week’s World Twenty20 in India, missed three doping tests within a 12-month period and faces a possible two-year ban from cricket if he is found guilty. According to World Anti-Doping Agency rules, it will be considered as a positive test if an athlete misses three drug checks within a 12-month period.
Reflecting on the issue, JADCO executive director Carey Brown stated that the commission had referred the matter to the Independent Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel, Sport24 reported. He added that Russell had not been provisionally suspended and that the commission was awaiting a date for the hearing. According to reports, the panel is unlikely to set a hearing date before the conclusion of the T20 format’s pinnacle event on April 3. The 27-year-old was a member of West Indies’ World Cup winning squad in 2012 and was named man of the tournament in the recent Pakistan Super League.