Johannesburg - Zubayr Hamza on Wednesday agreed to a voluntary suspension after testing positive for a prohibitive substance.
The 26-year-old batter is not disputing the positive test and according to a statement by Cricket SA on Wednesday is co-operating fully with the International Cricket Council. Hamza tested positive for Furosemide, which is a diuretic used to treat edema - the build up of fluid - and hypertension. The drug is not performance enhancing.
Hamza played for the Proteas in the first Test against New Zealand in Christchurch last month. He was due to play in the second but picked up a hand injury. He was also selected in the One-Day squad for the current series with Bangladesh, but withdrew on the morning of the first match last Friday, for what CSA claimed were “personal reasons.”
Hamza’s suspension commences immediately whilst written submissions are presented to the ICC. He has been able to identify how the substance entered his system.
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“The process to follow will entail presenting evidence that there was no fault or negligence, or no significant fault or negligence on the part of Zubayr. CSA, the SA Cricketers Association and the Western Province Cricket Association are supporting Zubayr in this process, and will continue to do so until the matter is concluded,” CSA said in its statement.
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