Chris Wright, the experienced Leicestershire seamer, revealed he has been serving a nine-month suspension for testing positive for a banned substance. Despite signing a new contract, Wright has not played this season after withdrawing from a move to Sussex. In a statement via the Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA), he admitted to an adverse test result from October.
The Cricket Regulator and the National Anti-Doping Agency acknowledged that Wright did not intentionally ingest Ostarine, a non-performance-enhancing substance found in a contaminated food supplement. However, he could not avoid the suspension. The PCA plans to lobby the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to reconsider its stance on trace amounts from contamination.
Wright will return to play from July 19 due to the backdated suspension. "I was shocked to test positive for trace amounts of a banned substance in October 2023," Wright said. He explained that he used a fruit supplement, declared it on his doping form, and later discovered it was contaminated with Ostarine.
Grateful for the support from scientific experts, the PCA, Leicestershire CCC, and his family, Wright emphasised the challenging period he faced. Ian Thomas, PCA managing director of member services, highlighted concerns over the lack of a threshold for trace amounts of banned substances and pledged to work with the World Players' Association to push for a change in WADA's rules.
Thomas noted, "The stress on Chris and his family has been extreme, and the PCA has worked closely with him to save his career." He stressed the importance of clean sport but argued against penalising athletes for contamination.
In conclusion, Wright expressed his gratitude for the support and looked forward to resuming his cricket career.