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Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has banned all-rounders Wessly Madhevere and Brandon Mavuta from all cricket for four months with immediate effect after testing positive for a banned recreational drug during an in-house dope test last month for an out-of-competition case. These two Zimbabwean cricketers have also been fined 50% of their salaries for three months effective from January 2024 onwards.
Apart from Wessly Madhevere and Brandon Mavuta, the batter Kevin Kasuza has also been banned from all cricket for four months with immediate effect after he tested positive for the same offence last week. Notably, the suspension for these three players was lenient because Zimbabwe will not be playing any matches when they are going to be on the sidelines.
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Wesley Madhevere and Brandon Mavuta received sanctions after admitting to charges of “breaching the ZC Employment Code of Conduct” during a hearing last Wednesday, January 17. “As they undergo rehabilitation overseen by ZC medical personnel, they have also been ordered to train under ZC’s High-Performance programme,” read the statement from Zimbabwe Cricket about the matter on Thursday, January 25.
"The (Disciplinary) Committee also considered some mitigating factors, with both players showing remorse and having already started working on withdrawing from the habit and getting their systems clean," ZC added.
Moreover, Wessly Madhevere and Brandon Mavuta were recently picked in the Zimbabwe squad against Ireland during a home series in early December. While Mavuta last played a professional game against the Irish in an ODI, Madhevere took part in the Zimbabwean first-class tournament for Mashonaland Eagles shortly after the international matches.