WI opener handed four-year ban

West Indies left-hander John Campbell has been slapped with a four-year ban for an anti-doping violation, it was reported in the local and international media last week.

One international media house, Reuters reported that the decision was reached last Friday by a Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) three-member independent panel. There has  been no formal announcement as yet.

Campbell, a 29-year-old Jamaican, who last played 20 Tests and six One-Day Internationals had been charged earlier this year for “evading, refusing or failing to submit to  sample collection. “

The ban has been backdated to start from May 10 — the date of the notification of the violation.

“The panel is persuaded to a comfortable degree of satisfaction that the athlete committed an anti-doping rule violation, namely breach of JADCO Rule 2.3.”

“The panel does not find,on the evidence,  that the athlete’s anti-doping violation was not intentional. In the circumstances of this case, the athlete is ineligible for a period of four years.”

Such a ban could spell the end of Campbell’s career, especially with the opener yet to consolidate his place in the Test squad.

His last outing for the regional team came against Bangladesh, but it was only his fifth Test after returning from a year-long spell on the sidelines due to poor form.

In ten Test innings this year, Campbell has managed just one 50 while averaging 35, above his career average of 26.