Leicestershire Seamer Chris Wright Suspended for Anti-Doping Violation

Chris Wright, the experienced Leicestershire seamer, has been suspended for nine months after testing positive for a trace amount of Ostarine, a banned substance. The 38-year-old admitted to the adverse result in October 2023, which stemmed from a contaminated food supplement.

Despite signing a new contract with Leicestershire last year, Wright has not played for the club this season due to his suspension. The Cricket Regulator and the National Anti-Doping Agency accepted that Wright did not intentionally ingest the substance, which is not performance-enhancing.

Wright's suspension has been backdated, making him eligible to play from July 19. He expressed shock and disappointment upon learning of the positive test, emphasizing that he had disclosed the use of the supplement on his doping control form.

With the help of scientific experts, Wright identified the supplement as the source of the contamination. He criticized the supplement manufacturer for failing to explain how Ostarine entered the product.

The Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA) has expressed concern over the lack of thresholds for banned substances in cases where there is no intent or scientific evidence of intentional ingestion. The PCA is lobbying the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to review its stance on trace amounts of substances ingested via contamination.

Ian Thomas, PCA managing director of member services, highlighted the dangers of supplement usage and the stress Wright and his family have endured during the suspension. He emphasized the need for a review of WADA's rules to protect innocent athletes from lengthy bans due to contamination.

Wright expressed gratitude for the support he received from the PCA, Leicestershire CCC, and his family. He is eager to return to training and resume his playing career.

Tags: #Cricket, #AntiDoping, #Contamination, #PCA, #WADA