The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is likely to take a decision on whether banned West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell should be handed a longer ban for breaches related to whereabouts rule, according to reports.
The 29-year old all-rounder, who plies his trade for Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League, was suspended by an independent Anti-doping Disciplinary Panel in January this year for breaching a whereabouts regulation on three occasions in a one-year period in 2015.
The ban, which came into effect on January 31, 2016, was set to end on January 30, 2018.
As per a report in Reuters, The Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) dropped an appeal against the one-year ban imposed on Russell on Monday (May 8). JADCO were reportedly requesting a longer ban since the maximum allowed for such a violation is two years.
“WADA has the right to take the matter elsewhere,” JADCO Chairman Alexander Williams said in a press conference in Kingston. “That is up to them,” he added.
Williams further added that JADCO considered the legal opinion of Jamaica’s Attorney General Marlene Malahoo Forte before taking a final call on not proceeding with the appeal.
“We would have to explain to WADA the reasons for the appeal being withdrawn and I believe we are comfortable in our explanation,” he said.
But at the same time, Williams said that WADA could still file a case against Russell at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Patrick Foster, Russell’s lawyer, informed the Reuters that his client’s appeal against the ban has now been withdrawn.
The West Indian, in March last year, was accused by JADCO of violating the whereabouts clause. The JADCO claimed that the 28-year old had failed to file his whereabouts on three occasions in 2015- January 1, July 1 and July 25 despite being reminded through several means. In his defence, the explosive batsman had said that he did not know how to file the whereabouts before insisting that he had given the responsibility to his agent and travel agents to take care of the whereabouts since he was busy playing.
As per the WADA rules, it pertains to a failed test and consequently, he was banned for a year.