Cricket: ICC still to comment on Kusal Perera – Wettimuny

Chairman SLC Interim Committee Sidath Wettimuny says that he has still not heard any official or unofficial intimation from the ICC about the status of Lankan wicket-keeper opener Kusal Janith Perera who is facing a possible ban for drug abuse.

Wettimuny said, “Yes, we aware that the ‘B’ sample of Perera was positive. But, we are yet to hear any intimation in this regard from the ICC. 

“At present we are in discussion about the developments with our lawyers and hope to make representations to the ICC by next week. In fact we aware that the ICC adopts a very transparent process regarding this”.

Perera had to be flown back from Sri Lanka's tour to New Zealand after a random test conducted during the West Indies tour of Sri Lanka came out positive for a banned substance.

The ICC is yet to comment on the matter since it is an ongoing disciplinary process. 

However, though there is no official penalty has been announced Perera can yet be suspended for a maximum of four years for the failed tests.

Earlier ICC had served Kusal with a provisional suspension on December 7 after tests conducted on the A sample came out positive. According to the ICC's Anti-Doping Code, a player has fourteen days to request a hearing before an independent three-person Anti-Doping Tribunal. 

Failing that implies the player "shall have been deemed to have admitted that he/she has committed the anti-doping rule violation(s) specified in the Notice of Charge" and to have accepted the consequences specified in that Notice of Charge.

Sri Lanka's sports minister Dayasiri Jayasekera commenting on the development said, "We are appealing against this because he was never found like this in the last four instances. We will back him with legal representation while making every effort possible to help him get out of this issue."

It is also known that in one instance Kusal Janith Perera had reported a case of a bookie approach to the anti-corruption authorities and a resultant spiking in retaliation also could not be ruled out. 

The next step of this case would be a possible tribunal held by the ICC where the defendant would be given the opportunity of explaining his case.