Kagiso Rabada was provisionally suspended for using a recreational drug. The 29-year-old player was initially facing a three-month ban.
However, if Rabada completed a treatment program, he would be eligible to have his suspension reduced to just one month. If successful, he would be available to play for South Africa in the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord’s in June.
Rabada is considered one of the best fast bowlers in the world, making his presence in such a crucial match highly important.
The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) define recreational drugs as “substances that are frequently abused in society outside the context of sport.”
SAIDS stated,
“The player accepted responsibility for the doping offense and complied with his provisional suspension.”
Despite the setback, Rabada has already completed two sessions of the treatment program and issued an apology to his teammates for making such a mistake.
Vikram Solanki, the head coach of Rabada’s IPL team, Gujarat Titans, commented on the situation by saying:
“He has learned his lesson. We are happy to have him back as part of the team and participating in training sessions.”