COLOMBO - Opening batsman Upul Tharanga has become the first Sri Lankan international to fail a dope test after a random check during the cricket World Cup, the country's sports ministry said Monday.
The left-handed player was informed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) that he tested positive for a banned steroid, ministry spokesman Harsha Abeykoon told AFP, adding that a national inquiry would also be held.
"The sports minister (Mahindananda Aluthgamage) named a three-member panel to launch a domestic investigation and as a first step they will record a statement from Tharanga at the earliest," Abeykoon said.
He said Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), the country's governing body for the sport, had not yet been formally informed by the ICC.
The blood sample was taken in Colombo during the World Cup, which was co-hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Cricket officials in Colombo said no Sri Lankan player had ever failed a dope test before.
