South Africa and Gujarat Titans can breathe a sigh of relief. Their premier pacer Kagiso Rabada has completed a one-month suspension after undergoing a substance abuse treatment programme. He is eligible to play the ICC WTC Final 2025 and the remainder of the IPL 2025. Rabada served a provisional suspension for a failed recreational drug test. The GT pacer returned home due to “personal reasons,” hiding his provisional ban. But as he has admitted, and it’s his first offence, the ICC might let him go with just a month-long suspension and fine.
While the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) has a minimum of a three-month suspension for recreational drug use, it can be reduced to a month. For that to happen, Rabada has to establish that he ingested the substance out of competition and the athlete satisfactorily completes a substance abuse treatment program approved by SAIDS.
While there is no clarity on the substance he took, the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) has cleared him to play. The drug test happened after MI Cape Town vs Durban Super Giants match in SA20 on January 21. As the results came in on April 1, Rabada was suspended.
“As per the South African Anti-Doping Rules specifically pertaining to Substances of Abuse, the player was offered an opportunity to complete a substance abuse treatment program. After Mr. Rabada satisfactorily completed two sessions of his treatment program, his provisional suspension ended. The player has effectively served a one-month period of ineligibility and may now resume participation in sport,” the SAIDS said in a statement.
Recreational drugs as per WADA
- Cocaine
- MDMA /Ecstasy (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine)
- Heroin (Diamorphine)
- THC or Cannabinoids (Tetrahydrocannabinol)
Rabada back in IPL
While Rabada left home on April 3, citing personal reasons, he is back with Gujarat Titans, exactly a month after his departure. During this time, Rabada attended two sessions of the treatment program. As Rabada “accepted responsibility for the doping offence and honoured his provisional suspension”, the ban was lifted. Now, he is not only eligible to play the AUS vs SA WTC Final 2025 in June, he is also available for selection for GT in the remainder of IPL 2025.
The World Test Championship final takes place at Lord’s in England, starting June 11. If he has already served his suspension, Rabada is all set to be available. South Africa have a week to submit their squad for the WTC Final with the deadline set at May 11.
It stinks: Tim Paine
However, former Australia captain Tim Paine is not happy with the lack of transparency surrounding Kagiso Rabada’s suspension. The ICC has maintained silence on this matter, with only Rabada releasing a statement apologising for his drug abuse.
“It stinks. I don’t like this use around personal issues, and it is being used to hide stuff that isn’t a personal issue. If you have a professional sportsman who’s tested for recreational drugs during a tournament in which he is playing, that doesn’t fall under personal issues for me. That falls under you have broken your contract. That is not a personal issue,” Tim Paine told SEN Radio on Monday.
Paine is also not happy that he is back in IPL 2025 and will be eligible to play the WTC Final against Australia. Gujarat Titans will play their next match on May 6. If Rabada plays, his suspension has already ended.
“Not only will play against Australia in the World Test Championship, but he’s available to play now in the IPL. No one knew about what he’s taken, what he was given or who the organising body was that oversaw it. If he is going to take drugs and be caught doing it, I think people deserve to know what he’s taken, how long he is being rubbed out for and who sanctioned it. People need to be held to account for stuff like that,” Tim Paine added.
