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Your support makes all the difference.Shane Warne withdrew from the World Cup today, announcing he had failed a doping test. The Australian Cricket Board has referred the matter to its anti-doping panel, and still hopes the leg spinner can be reinstated for the tournament.
Warne told his teammates of the test result last night and publicly revealed the doping allegations in a news conference an hour before Australia's World Cup opener against Pakistan in Johannesburg.
The Australian Sports Drug Agency notified Warne that he had tested positive for the diuretics, hydrochlorothiazide and amiloride, in sample taken on 22 January in Sydney.
Warne, aged 33. admitted he had taken a fluid reduction tablet on the eve of the limited-overs match against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 23 January , his return to international cricket after dislocating his shoulder against the English in December.
"I'm shocked and absolutely devastated," Warne said. "I am shocked because I don't take performance enhancing drugs in any shape or form."
The ACB said it would await the outcome of a second test, or B sample, before announcing any sanctions. In the meantime, Warne will return to Australia for a hearing.
ACB chief executive James Sutherland, said it would be inappropriate to speculate on details of the case until the evidence had been finalized and examined by the independent anti-doping committee.
The ACB said it was proactive in the case, advising the International Cricket Council of Warne's situation and asking the World Cup Event Technical Committee for approval to replace him in its World Cup squad. It also sought permission to reinstate Warne if the anti-doping commitee cleared him of any wrong doing.
Warne hurt his bowling shoulder in a fielding accident against England and made a startling recovery to be fit in time for the World Cup.
Australia's leading bowler in test and limited-overs cricket, Warne had announced before departing for South Africa that the World Cup would be his farewell to one-day cricket, although he vowed to continue in tests.
He could face a two-year ban if found guilty of a doping offence.
The ICC introduced drug testing for the first time in South Africa, following most of the International Olympic Council guidelines on banned substances. Diuretics are banned because they can be used as masking agents to avoid detection of steroids.
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