Proteas cricketer Zubayr Hamza suspended, faces doping charges

Proteas player Zubayr Hamza has been indefinitely suspended after testing positive for a prohibited substance, Cricket South Africa revealed on Wednesday.

Hamza, who has played six Tests and one ODI for South Africa, returned a positive test in January for Furosemide, which is not considered a performance enhancing substance but is listed as banned under the International Cricket Council’s anti-doping code because it can be used as a masking agent.

The 26-year-old Cape Cobras star was not disputing the test result, and CSA said he was “co-operating fully” with the ICC. He had also agreed to a “voluntary suspension” while the global body investigated.

According to CSA, Hamza claimed he was able to identify how the substance entered his system. If not, he could face a ban of up to two years.

“The process to follow will entail presenting evidence that there was no fault or negligence, or no significant fault or negligence on the part of Zubayr,” CSA said.

The national federation, the SA Cricketers Association and the Western Province Cricket Association were “supporting Zubayr in this process, and will continue to do so until the matter is concluded”.