Tuesday, February 18, 2003

Moving away from World War 3 and instead on to important things. The Shane Warne saga continued today with Warne's B sample showing that Warne had taken more than one diuretic pill, and that when he told his story about getting the pill from his mother he was clearly lying. This kind of reminds me of the way the Hansie Cronje saga unfolded. Cronje was discovered doing something wrong, and he admitted to it, "but that was all, and only that one time". Then, something else was uncovered and he admitted that "yes, I did that too" and this happened five or six times. At this point, I believe that Warne used steroids to help him recover from his shoulder dislocation, and that the diuretic use was intended to cover this up. This cannot presently be proved, but it doesn't have to be. Because it is so hard to prove, the diuretic use is the offence. Warne clearly broke the rules, and in terms of his confessions (or lack of them) has been clearly acting in bad faith.

I think at this point the ACB's drug tribunal has to give Warne the full sentence of a two year suspension. I think that making a comeback in two years time is something that it will be difficult for Warne to do, and I don't expect to see it. It saddens me no end to see the career of one of the finest cricketers I have ever seen end like this. But end like this it must.

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