Sports
Himasha Eshan suspended for doping
by Reemus Fernando
Former national 100 metres record holder and South Asian Games medallist Himasha Eshan has been suspended from track and field activities after being found positive for a banned substance during a random test conducted by Sri Lanka Anti-Doping Authority (SLADA).
The sprinter, coached by Chaminda Perera, played a key role in Sri Lanka Artillery’s victory at the recently concluded Army Athletics Championships. Incidentally, the SLADA has collected Himasha’s urine samples at the Army quarters at Narahenpita on the final day of the Army Athletics Championships where he was involved in record breaking feats. He was part of the Medley Relay team that established a new meet record at the event and also ran a wind assisted 10.29 seconds to win the men’s 100 metres.
The SLADA letter addressed to Himasha Eshan states that his ‘A’ sample test has indicated an adverse analytical finding and he has been found positive for an anabolic androgenic steroid norandrosterone.
It is the second time the former Kalutara Vidyalaya sprinter has been found positive for a banned substance during an otherwise glittering carrier. “Since it is the second time that he had been found positive for a banned substance it will make it difficult for any disciplinary committee to treat the matter leniently,” a source conversant with the proceeding told The Island on condition of anonymity.
The 26-year-old has been requested to appear for an initial inquiry at the SLADA headquarters on December 15, where he would be able to request his ‘B’ sample to be tested.
However, sources close to Sri Lanka Army and Sri Lanka Athletics said that the sprinter had left the island for Italy after the Army Athletics Championship.
Himasha who holds the current national record in the men’s 4×100 metres was also the national record holder in the 100 metres until his 10.22 seconds feat was beaten by Italy based Yupun Abeykoon in September 2020.
Himasha was still a teenager when he rose to prominence winning the national title but was first found positive for banned substance methylhexanamine in 2012. His doping violation was treated leniently on that occasion as he was still a school athlete. When he was first tested positive for a banned substance it was reported that the young athlete had been advised by his coach Chaminda Perera to take a supplement available in the market and doping authorities suspected the adverse findings were a result of taking the supplement.
While Himasha was banned for one year, Perera continued to train young aspirants and was the sprint coach of many top athletes.
A source close to anti-doping authority said “according to 33/13 convention against doping in sports criminal charges can be raised against members of the support staff for doping violations in sports.”
An ODI between Canada and Netherlamds in King City Toronto on Tuesday was abandoned due to a dangerous pitch. The fixture was part of the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 competition, which is part of the qualification pathway for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
The match was abandoned just 4.1 overs into the Netherlands innings after they had chosen to bat. They were 15 for 1, with Max O’Dowd the batter dismissed for a duck in the second over. The pitch had uneven bounce and the batters were struck several times during the short passage of play.
On June 12, four days before the abandoned match, the ICC had issued a statement saying the pitch at King City that was used for an ODI between USA and the Netherlands on June 8 had been given an “unsatisfactory” rating and one demerit point.
“This was a pitch that fell below the standard expected for this level of cricket,” match referee Phil Thompson had said about the surface for the USA-Netherlands match. “Both captains expressed disappointment with how it turned out, and the match officials assessed it as ‘very poor’. The inconsistent bounce created challenging and potentially unsafe playing conditions. Taking all factors into consideration, I believe the pitch merits an ‘unsatisfactory’ rating.”
According to the ICC’s pitch and outfield monitoring process, pitches that get an “unsatisfactory” rating will be given one demerit point, while an “unfit” pitch rating will result in three demerit points for the venue. Demerit points remain active for a rolling five-year period, and an accumulation of six demerit points will result in the venue being suspended from hosting international matches for 12 months (12 demerit points will lead to a 24-month ban).
(Cricinfo)
Joshua Da Silva and Amir Jangoo have earned recalls to West Indies’ squad for the two-match World Test Championship series at home against Sri Lanka starting later this month, while the two Josephs, Alzarri and Shamar, are back after missing the tours of India and New Zealand late last year because of injuries.
Trevin Imalch had kept wicket when West Indies last played Test cricket, in New Zealand last December, but Da Silva, 33 Test matches old, has returned after scoring 996 runs across the last two seasons of the West Indies Championship. Imlach, who failed with the bat in New Zealand with a total of 81 runs across six innings – after scoring 33 runs in his only Test in India – has been named captain of a West Indies Select XI to play the Sri Lankans in a tour match in Coolidge from June 18 to 21. Roston Chase will continue to captain the Test side.
West Indies vs Sri Lanka Tests
Jangoo, dropped after only one Test appearance, in Multan in January 2025, where he scored 0 and 30, has returned to the side following a fruitful WI Championship in which he scored 411 runs in seven innings. He finished second on the scorers’ table there, only behind Da Silva, who scored 413 in seven outing. The highlight of Jangoo’s season was the 203 not out he scored for Trinidad & Tobago against Leeward Islands
The pair of Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph, meanwhile, last played Test cricket during the home series against Australia in mid-2025.”Every Test series is an opportunity for us to grow as a team and strengthen our identity,” Darren Sammy, the head coach, said in a Cricket West Indies statement. “Sri Lanka are a quality side, so we know we’ll have to be at our best, but we’re excited about the challenge ahead.”For us, it’s about playing with discipline, showing character when the game gets tough, and representing the West Indies with pride. The players have been putting in the work, and we’re looking forward to putting on a strong display for our fans across the Caribbean.”
Some of the squad members are currently participating in a high-performance training camp in Antigua, which began on June 12 and will run till June 22. The members of the Test squad who were also part of the white-ball series against Sri Lanka – West Indies lost the ODIs and won the T20Is – will join the camp on June 15. The Tests will be played in North Sound from June 25 to 29 and July 3 to 7.
“This is a key component of our preparations heading into the series, providing players and coaches with valuable time to enhance and improve the skills we want to see sharpened, based on the areas we need to focus our attention on when facing this opponent,” Sammy said about the camp. “It also gives us the opportunity to put clear objectives and plans in place for the conclusion of the summer against Pakistan.
“Additionally, the four-day warm-up game prior to the series provides the chance for some of our Test hopefuls to play in high-intensity action and create the avenue for more competition within the squad ahead of the upcoming and future series.”
West Indies are currently bottom of the nine-team WTC table, having lost seven of their eight games in the ongoing cycle.
West Indies squad for Test series against Sri Lanka
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