SOUTH AFRICA: AUSTRALIAN CRICKETER SHANE WARNE FAILS DRUG TEST AND PULLS OUT OF WORLD CUP TOURNAMENT

Record ID: 957688

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: AUSTRALIAN CRICKETER SHANE WARNE FAILS DRUG TEST AND PULLS OUT OF WORLD CUP TOURNAMENT
  • Date: 13th February 2003
  • Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (FEBRUARY 11, 2003) (SABC - NO ACCESS SOUTH AFRICA) 1. WIDE VIEW OF SHANE WARNE (FAIR HAIR, DARK BLUE SHIRT) BEING ACCOMPANIED TO NEWS CONFERENCE 2. WARNE (LEFT) SITTING ALONGSIDE AUSTRALIAN CRICKET BOARD CHIEF EXECUTIVE JAMES SUTHERLAND ANNOUNCING THE RESULT OF TEST 3. SOUNDBITE (English) SUTHERLAND "I'm here today to announce that Shane Warne has expressed his wish to stand down from Australia's World Cup team. And he will return to Australia today to complete drug testing procedures and for a hearing to be held under the Australian Cricket Board's anti-doping policy. This follows Shane's advice to us that the Australian Sports Drugs Agency has told him that he has tested positive for diuretics on samples that he provided in Sydney last month. Shane notified the ACB yesterday as soon as he received the news and also advised that he believed the test results resulted from fluid reduction medication he took in Sydney last month. The results are preliminary and subject to confirmation . PAUSE AS OFFICIAL ASKS REPORTERS TO TURN OFF MOBILE PHONES If the anti-doping committee finds that Shane has not committed an offence under the ACB's policy we will ask the world cup events technical committee for approval for Shane to be reinstated to the world cup squad. 4. SOUNDITE (English) WARNE TALKING ABOUT HIS SUSPENSION I was shocked and absolutely devastated to be informed by ASDA (Australian Sports Drug Agency) yesterday that a test sample that was collected in Australia on the 22nd of January indicated the presence of a prohibited substance. The full process of analysing and testing procedures are not complete until my B sample is fully examined later this week in Australia. I am shocked because I do not take performance-enhancing drugs, and never have, and do not condone them in any way, shape or form. I am proud to be in the shape that I am at the moment and that is due to nothing other than hard work and looking after myself with diet. I did take a fluid tablet before my come-back game in Sydney which I did not know contained a prohibited substance. The tablet actually dehydrates you and gets rid of any excess fluid in your body and as I understand it is not performance-enhancing in any way. I have decided to return home in the best interests of the team in their world cup campaign and to address the situation personally which the ACB are very supportive of. As I said I have never taken any performance-enhancing drugs and am confident that this matter will be cleared up very soon. ASDA has conducted random tests for a long time in conjunction with the ACB and my previous tests have always come back negative and so will any future ones. I have spoken to my team mates and they are very supportive. I wish them luck for the rest of the tournament. Whether I play a part or not will be decided shortly. Once all the testing and analysing has taken place there will be a hearing of the Australian Cricket Board's anti-doping committee. Until then I will just have to deal with the situation as best I can. I would like to thank the world cup squad for their collective support and friendship and I believe they have the talent and spirit in the team to win the world cup - with or without me. I wish them luck, and as James has said, it is not appropriate to go into any further details as there is more testing to be done this week, and I apologise that the circumstances mean that I cannot answer any questions now. Thanks very much. 5. WARNE LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 27th February 2003 12:00
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  • Location: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
  • Country: South Africa
  • Reuters ID: LVADD8GMYSXJ5DJUZ8IQE2AJ11T6
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