Two national players have been suspended by Zimbabwe Cricket, the organization said on Thursday, for “recreational drug use”.
“The concerned players, Wesley Madhevere and Brandon Mavuta, both tested positive for a banned recreational drug in an out-of-competition case recorded during a recent in-house doping test,” the league said in a statement.
Mavuta and Madhevere have been suspended “with immediate effect” until the outcome of a hearing over their alleged anti-doping rule violations.
The substance in question and the date of their test failure were not disclosed by the board.
However, the sanctions come as a further blow following the resignation of coach Dave Houghton last week due to Zimbabwe’s elimination from the T20 World Cup.
“They have been charged under the Zimbabwe Cricket Code of Conduct for players and team officials and will appear for a disciplinary hearing soon,” the statement continued.
The 23-year-old all-rounder Madhevere is seen as a budding star for the national squad. Since making his Zimbabwean debut in 2020, he has participated in 60 Twenty20 matches, 36 One-Day Internationals, and two Tests.
Mavuta, 26, has played in ten Twenty20 internationals, twelve One-Day Internationals, and four Tests.
Both were included in the Zimbabwean squad for the team’s 2-1 loss in the one-day series against Ireland this month.
Following their defeat in the Ireland series and inability to qualify for the T20 World Cup next year, Zimbabwe has launched a significant inquiry. Houghton offered his resignation, claiming he had “lost the change room”.