Kusal Perera faces four year ban for doping offence

Sri Lanka Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara has said Kusal Perera, the wicketkeeper, faces a four-year ban after testing positive for a banned substance.

Kusal Perera has had to drop out of Sri Lanka's tour of New Zealand owing to his doping offence.

Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Kusal Perera is facing the prospect of a four-year ban after his B sample tested positive for a banned substance.“The ICC has informed that he faces a four-year ban,” Sri Lanka Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara said. “We are hoping to appeal,” he added.

Perera’s urine sample was tested in Qatar after the ICC had originally found it contained banned substance. Consequently, Perera had to drop out of Sri Lanka’s current tour of New Zealand. Sri Lanka lost the Test series 0-2.

When he was provisionally suspended, the ICC sent out this clarification: "The sample Perera provided in an out-of-competition test, which was conducted on 12 October 2015, was found to contain the presence of a Prohibited Substance (in the category of non-Specified Substances), and, as required under the ICC Anti-Doping Code, he has been provisionally suspended. The matter will now be dealt with in accordance with the disciplinary process set down in the Code, and until such time as the disciplinary process is resolved, the ICC will make no further comment on this matter."

Perera is Sri Lanka’s second player to flunk a dope test. Left-hander batsman Upul Tharanga was suspended for three months after testing positive for a banned substance during the 2011 World Cup.