South African cricket boss calls Tim Paine ‘naive’ for criticising Kagiso Rabada’s drug ban

South African cricket bosses have sledged a former Australian captain amid criticism of a short drugs ban for their star fast bowler.

South African cricket boss Andrew Breetzke has defended the process that allowed fast bowler Kagiso Rabada to serve just a one-month ban for a positive drug test and be free to take on Australia in the World Test Championship final, calling critics including Tim Paine “naive”.

Rabada tested positive to an illicit substance during the SA T20 competition in January but was allowed to play on before being sent home form the Indian Premier League for “personal reasons”.

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It was then revealed Rabada was in fact serving a ban for the positive test result, a ban that ended almost before anyone knew it existed.

The process moved Paine to say “it stinks”, with Rabada now able to line up against Australia at Lord’s in June.

But Breetzke was adamant the rules were followed to the letter and those outside the bubble should have refrained from making comments.

“The criticism that’s coming from Australia is somewhat naive and lacks understanding of how doping processes are managed,” he told SportsBoom.

Kagiso Rabada served a one-month ban. Picture: Michael Klein

“Effectively, he (Rabada) was notified on the first of April of the positive test, and we consulted with him on the 1st of April for the first time.

“In accordance with the SAIDS and WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) rules, there is a clear process that follows out of that, and we started that process immediately with him flying back to South Africa, getting the legal team together, the medical experts together and started the process relative to the rules.

“That’s exactly how it played out. It played out as it must in terms of the rules. When someone tests positive for substance of abuse, the rules are pretty clear.

“If it’s taken in competition, it’s a two-year suspension, if you can prove it’s out of competition, you can get it down to three months and if you go into a designated counselling program, you can get it down to one month.

Tim Paine was critical of the handling of Rabada’s case. (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP)

“We ticked off those boxes and that’s how the process unfolded over the month of April. It was professionally dealt with, and KG was absolutely professional, open and honest in the process, which is why we were able to do it within that time frame.”

After the ban became public earlier this month, Paine told SEN Radio: “It stinks.

“Taking drugs – recreational or performance enhancing – is not a personal issue that can just be hidden for a month.

“A guy can be taken out of the IPL, moved back to South Africa and we just let it slide under the rug. Then we will bring him back once he’s already served his ban.

“Not only will he play against Australia in the World Test Championship, but he’s available to be playing 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 (the suspension). People need to be held to account for stuff like that.”

Breetzke said there was no questions raised about the integrity of the investigation or the handling of Rabada’s suspension.

“In cricket, there aren’t many doping cases. We’ve had six cases in South Africa in probably the last 10 years,” he said.

“All players every year go through anti-doping education through us. That’s standard.

“Integrity in cricket is based on two elements: there’s the anti-doping regulations and there’s the anti-corruption regulations.

“In the list of high-risk sports in doping, cricket is not high on this.”