Cricketers Mavuta and Madhevere reinstated after drug use suspensions

ASHLEY DUBE

HARARE – Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has reinstated national team players Brandon Mavuta and Wessly Madhevere after they completed four-month suspensions for drug use.

Brandon Mavuta and Wessly Madhevere 

The duo tested positive for a recreational drug in December and were banned and fined. 

As part of their rehabilitation, they trained under ZC's high-performance program and returned negative results for drug tests conducted upon completion of their suspensions.

"I am pleased to welcome Wessly and Brandon back to competitive cricket after both of them underwent rehabilitation and also passed a drug test carried out to check if they were now clean," ZC Managing Director Givemore Makoni said.

"More importantly, the two players acknowledged their mistakes and have vowed to stay clean and focus on their very promising careers as cricketers," Makoni added.

Meanwhile, ZC academy player Davis Murwendo has also returned a positive result for a social drug in the latest round of internal tests and is set to appear for a hearing soon.

ZC operates its own anti-drugs program independently of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to protect the health and welfare of players and the reputation of the sport.

"Recognising the dangers that recreational drugs may cause, ZC opted to go beyond the ICC and WADA obligations by implementing an in-house drugs testing programme," Makoni said.

"This initiative provides education, counselling and treatment to rehabilitate players involved with social drugs."