IPL player tests positive for dope

The billion-dollar Indian Premier League (IPL) was hit by another controversy on Sunday with one of the random doping tests tunring out to be positive.

<b1>The IPL Chairman and Commissioner Lalit Modi confirmed the development but refused to reveal the player’s name. "We will come to know who the player is probably on Monday," Modi told Hindustan Times over phone.

The dope tests during the inaugural IPL, held from April 18 to June 1, were conducted in accordance with the WADA guidelines and a minimum punishment for first time offenders under the code is two years. However, a second time offender faces a life ban.

"Now we are at the first stage where one sample has tested positive. The issue is now with the IPL’s medical committee. The identity of the player will matter only after we check on the pre-declared drugs," Modi said.

It is believed that the WADA-accredited laboratory, where the samples were analysed, had informed the IPL authorities about the postive dope test two days ago.

It might be recalled that the random dope tests could not take place from the beginning of the IPL following a recommendation of official doctors who felt that the less-informed players from the 'Catchment Areas' had to be briefed on banned substances before being subjected to such tests.

The IPL also witnessed a major controversy when Mumbai team’s stand-in skipper Harbhajan Singh was banned for 11 matches after he slapped Mohali paceman S Sreesanth at the end of a match.