Kagiso Rabada, the South African fast bowler, recently faced a one-month suspension from cricket due to a failed drug test, now confirmed to have detected a metabolite of cocaine. This was reported by the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS), which abides by the World Anti-Doping Agency’s guidelines for publishing such findings.
SAIDS announced on June 3 that their testing revealed Benzoylecgonine, a chemical produced when the body metabolises cocaine, in Rabada’s sample taken during the SA20 tournament on January 21. While Rabada completed the SA20 and participated in the Champions Trophy prior to awareness of the results, he was notified of the positive test by late March. Consequently, he served his suspension between April 1 and May 1. Though his time away from the IPL was initially attributed to personal reasons, it coincided with his ban.
Rabada’s suspension duration considered factors such as the substance being recreational, his willingness to partake in an educational course, and the fact that the ingestion took place off the field, classifying it as out-of-competition use. These elements contributed to the reduced sanction of one month. Rabada chose not to appeal the decision.
On May 3, through the South African Cricketers Association, Rabada acknowledged using a recreational drug without delving into specifics. Having already served his time, he resumed playing in the IPL with the Gujarat Titans and later rejoined the South African team for the World Test Championship final. Both Cricket South Africa, head coach Shukri Conrad, and captain Temba Bavuma have publicly moved past the issue.
Before departing for the UK, Rabada broke his silence post-suspension, stating he would not adopt an “I apologise” demeanour but preferred open discussions with his team-mates. As he gears up for encounters with Australia, Rabada anticipates potential criticism. “They come at you, and I think that gets the best out of me – and they have been notorious for that over the years, right? So yeah, let’s see,” he remarked, responding to former Australian captain Tim Paine’s earlier comments on the situation.
