West Indies batter John Campbell slapped with 4-year ban for violating anti-doping rules

John Campbell (Image Source: Twitter)

John Campbell, the West Indies batter, must stay away from cricket for a period of four years after being found guilty of violating anti-doping rules according to the Jamaican Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO). The batter was slapped with a four-year ban on October 7, Friday by a three-member independent panel. 

Back in April, JADCO had accused him of failing to submit his blood sample at his home in Kingston. The batter, who failed to submit his sample collection, had to face the brunt for his unjust act. 

A part of the 18-page decision which was ruled by the panel, as seen by Reuters, read that “The panel was persuaded to a comfortable degree of satisfaction that the athlete committed an anti-doping rule violation, namely breach of JADCO rule 2.3…”.

With regards to Campbell, he has represented the Windies in 20 Tests, 6 One Day Internationals and 2 T20Is. With over 1000 international runs, the southpaw’s career is on a pause, due to the macabre phase that he is going through. 

Campbell’s ban is applicable from May 10 of this year

The decision further read that the ban was applicable from May 10 of this year, the date of notification of the violation. “The panel does not find, on the evidence presented, that the athlete's anti-doping violation was not intentional,” it read further. 

Citing the applicable JADCO rule 10.3.1, it added “In the circumstances of this case the athlete is ineligible for a period of 4 years”. The 29-year-old’s last Test match came against Bangladesh in June, earlier this year. 

In other news, West Indies lost the two-match T20I series against Australia 2-0. The Kyle Mayers-led team lost the second T20I played in Brisbane on October 7, Friday by 31 runs and gave away the series. The visitors’ next outing will be against UAE and Netherlands in the warm-up matches of the 20-20 World Cup 2022. 

Windies will start their campaign in the qualifiers of the showpiece event against Scotland on October 17 to be played at Blundstone Arena.