Laurie Evans, a professional cricketer from England, recently had his provisional doping suspension lifted by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The decision comes after Evans provided evidence that he had ingested the prohibited substance, stanozolol, unintentionally.
The incident began in December 2021, when Evans was subjected to an out-of-competition doping test by the ECB. The test revealed the presence of stanozolol, a steroid commonly used to increase muscle mass and enhance athletic performance. As a result, the ECB provisionally suspended Evans from all cricket activities, pending the outcome of an investigation.
During the investigation, Evans cooperated fully with the ECB and provided evidence to support his claim of unintentional ingestion. Specifically, he identified a dietary supplement that he had been taking, which contained a small amount of stanozolol. He had not realized that the supplement contained the prohibited substance and had been taking it in good faith to aid his training and recovery.
After reviewing the evidence, the ECB accepted Evans’ explanation and lifted his provisional suspension. In a statement, the ECB acknowledged that Evans had demonstrated that he had not intended to cheat and had taken steps to avoid using prohibited substances.
The lifting of Evans’ suspension is a positive outcome for both him and his team, Sussex County Cricket Club. Evans is an experienced top-order batsman and a valuable member of the Sussex squad. His absence would have been a significant blow to the world.
