The Zimbabwe board did not say what drug was involved or when they had failed the tests.
On Thursday, Zimbabwe Cricket said that two national players had been suspended for “recreational drug use.” The board said in a statement that “the concerned players, Wesley Madhevere and Brandon Mavuta, both tested positive for a banned recreational drug in an out-of-competition case recorded during a recent in-house doping test.” Both Madhevere and Mavuta have been suspended “with immediate effect” until a hearing is held on the breach of anti-doping rules. The board did not say what drug was involved or when they had failed the tests.
But the suspensions are a new blow after coach Dave Houghton resigned this week over Zimbabwe’s failure to reach next year’s T20 World Cup.
The statement said, “They have been charged under the Zimbabwe Cricket Code of Conduct for players and team officials and will appear for a disciplinary hearing soon.”
Twenty-three-year-old all-rounder Madhevere is considered one of the national team’s rising talents. He made his debut for Zimbabwe in 2020 and has since played in two Tests, 36 one-day internationals, and 60 Twenty20 internationals. Mavuta has four Tests, 12 one-day internationals, and 10 T20 internationals to his name.
