Just under four years since being cleared of doping, Sri Lankan cricket star Kusal Perera has been awarded $500,000 in compensation from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). In 2015, Perera was accused of doping after his samples tested positive for a banned substance. The cricketer along with is Sri Lanka teammates are preparing for an international test against England. Cricket fans can get a bonus by visiting online lotteries before wagering on the team they believe will win the test.
Perera’s 2015 doping test led to him being recalled from Sri Lanka’s tour of New Zealand in December of that year. The wicketkeeper had given his initial urine test in May of 2015 following Sri Lanka’s test series versus Pakistan.
Conspiracy theories were tossed around in the wake of Perera’s positive test sample. One theory was rivals wanted Perera to be withdrawn from the 2016 International Cricket Council’s Twenty20 World Cup tournament. Since the scandal broke, the laboratory that conducted the testing has been called into question for poor practices.
WADA labs under scrutiny
The cricketer missed the 2016 Twenty20 World Cup while fighting the charges. The tournament was played between March and April, and just a little over a month after the final game of the competition, Perera was cleared of all charges.
The timing of the allegations and subsequent clearance of all charges added fuel to the fire of conspiracy that was alleged by members of Sri Lankan cricket. While attempting to clear his name, Perera used some of his own earnings from cricket to pay for testing and travel. Perera paid an estimated $100,000 out of his own pocket to fund his case. At one point, he even travelled to England to undergo further tests to clear his name.
Perera was absent from several major cricket tournaments such as the Asia Cup along with major cricket test tours with the Sri Lankan team. WADA will now payout the $500,000 compensation to Perera following the mishandling and false accusations of the tests.
Previous WADA lab mistakes
The false allegations thrown at Perera by WADA were not the first by the organisation. In 2011, a WADA laboratory in Malaysia mistakenly suspected Egyptian soccer player Hossam Ghaly and an unnamed American female athletics star of doping. The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled on the case after lawyers for both athletes fought the allegations.
The Malaysian lab, located in Penang, wrongly claimed positive test results for Ghaly. It was claimed the Egyptian soccer player had taken the steroid Nandrolone. Two other Middle Eastern-based soccer players were also falsely accused of using the banned substance.
In the case of the American runner, the results of the doping test were thrown out after the lab failed to take into account the effects of birth control. Following the CAS’ 2011 decision, the lab in Penang was stripped of its accreditation by WADA. In the cases of both Ghaly and the unnamed female runner, conspiracy theories alleged ulterior motives for the positive test results.
Perera can now expect to receive half a million dollars nearly four years after initially being cleared of doping. It has taken some time to be granted compensation, but well worth it in the end.
