ICC suspends Zubayr Hamza for using banned substance

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has given South Africa's Zubayr Hamza a nine-month suspension for using a banned substance.

The 26-year-old batter had tested positive for Furosemide following an International Cricket Council anti-doping test on January 17, 2022. Hamza will be out of action till January 2023, with the final verdict of the case to be announced by next week. 

Furosemide, which is on the World Anti-Doping Agency's banned list, is a diuretic and prescribed to treat hypertension and reduce swelling caused by fluid build-up in the body. It has been added to WADA's banned list because of concerns that it may mask other drugs.

In an official statement, Cricket South Africa (CSA) had said that Hamza accepted the charges and agreed to cooperate with ICC

"Cricket South Africa (CSA), the South African Cricketers' Association (SACA), and Western Province Cricket Association (WPCA) today announced that Proteas player Zubayr Hamza has tested positive for a prohibited substance under the International Cricket Council (ICC) anti-doping code. The positive test followed an ICC anti-doping test on January 17 2022," the CSA said in a media release.

"Zubayr is not disputing the positive test, is cooperating fully with the ICC, and has agreed to a voluntary suspension commencing immediately whilst written submissions are presented to the ICC," the CSA further said in a statement.

Hamza made his Test debut against Pakistan in 2019 and has managed to play six Tests for his country, with only a solitary half-century in 12 innings. He made his One Day International debut against the Netherlands in 2021 and scored a half-century. His last national appearance came as recently as the Test against New Zealand in Christchurch in mid-February.