Dubai // Pakistan’s leg-spinner Yasir Shah was provisionally suspended on Sunday for failing a dope test by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
“Shah has been charged with an anti-doping rule violation on a sample he provided in an in-competition test,” an ICC statement announced.
“The test, conducted on 13 November 2015, was found to contain the presence of chlortalidone, a Prohibited Substance which appears in Section 5 of the World Anti-Doping Agency list [in the category of Specified Substances].
“In accordance with the ICC Anti-Doping Code, pending the outcome of the disciplinary process, Yasir has been provisionally suspended.”
Talking points: As the cases of Shah and Perera show, cricket must stay vigilant on doping
Yasir, 29, has emerged as a match-winner for Pakistan since off-spinner Saeed Ajmal’s action was reported and subsequently lost his wicket-taking ability with a remodelled action.
Yasir took 12 wickets in Pakistan’s 2-0 win against Australia last year before playing a key role in this year’s 2-1 Test series win in Sri Lanka with 24 wickets.
A month before he was tested — on October 12 — Yasir had fallen down while bowling in the nets in his follow-through and had to miss the first Test against England in Abu Dhabi with a back problem.
He returned for the second and third Tests, taking 15 wickets to help Pakistan beat England 2-0 and was tested during the one-day series.
He has taken 76 wickets in 12 Tests and became the fastest to complete 50 wickets in nine Tests — a record for Pakistan.
He has also played 15 one-day internationals and two Twenty20s after making his debut in 2011.
The latest doping issue came after Sri Lanka batsman Kusal Perera tested positive for a banned substance this month.
Gallery: Mohammad Amir returns to Pakistan cricket fold — in pictures
Perera faces a lengthy ban from international cricket with his “B” sample understood to have also tested positive. Perera had to be withdrawn from Sri Lanka’s tour to New Zealand after the news came. His test was conducted in October.
Pakistan has a history of doping related offences. In 2006 the pace duo of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammed Asif tested positive for banned substances and had to be pulled out of that year’s Champions Trophy in India.
Both were later cleared on the basis that tests were conducted internally and not by the ICC.
The Pakistan Cricket Board, which conducts regular education programmes for players on anti-doping and corruption, said it will study Yasir’s case in the next two days.
Under the rules, Yasir has seven days to demand a test on his “B” sample and another seven days to plead guilty. The ICC tribunal on anti-doping will determine the extent of his ban which could be from two to four years.
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last-16, second leg:
Real Madrid 1 (Asensio 70'), Ajax 4 (Ziyech 7', Neres 18', Tadic 62', Schone 72')
Ajax win 5-3 on aggregate
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Basquiat in Abu Dhabi
One of Basquiat’s paintings, the vibrant Cabra (1981–82), now hangs in Louvre Abu Dhabi temporarily, on loan from the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
The latter museum is not open physically, but has assembled a collection and puts together a series of events called Talking Art, such as this discussion, moderated by writer Chaedria LaBouvier.
It's something of a Basquiat season in Abu Dhabi at the moment. Last week, The Radiant Child, a documentary on Basquiat was shown at Manarat Al Saadiyat, and tonight (April 18) the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is throwing the re-creation of a party tonight, of the legendary Canal Zone party thrown in 1979, which epitomised the collaborative scene of the time. It was at Canal Zone that Basquiat met prominent members of the art world and moved from unknown graffiti artist into someone in the spotlight.
“We’ve invited local resident arists, we’ll have spray cans at the ready,” says curator Maisa Al Qassemi of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's Canal Zone Remix is at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Thursday April 18, from 8pm. Free entry to all. Basquiat's Cabra is on view at Louvre Abu Dhabi until October
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Sting & Shaggy
44/876
(Interscope)
MO
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Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
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Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars
