Banned Australian cricketer Shane Warne will have to wait until afterEaster to learn whether he can play in English charity matches.
AAP27-Jul-2005Banned Australian cricketer Shane Warne will have to wait until afterEaster to learn whether he can play in English charity matches.The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) and the Australian Cricketers’Association (ACA) are seeking a ruling from an independent arbitrator onthe issue.The ACB directors decided on the weekend Warne could not take part inany organised cricket matches, including charity and testimonial games,during his 12-month ban.But the ACA is now involved because the two bodies have differentinterpretations of the memorandum of understanding between them.”The ACB interpretation of the ACB/ACA Memorandum of Understanding whichgoverns the relationship between the ACB, ACA and contracted players, isthat players suspended under the ACB Anti-Doping Policy cannot play in any organised cricket games, including charity and testimonial games,” the board said in a statement.”The ACA interpretation is that suspended players can play in bona fidecharity and testimonial games.”Warne has received an offer to play for Lashings, an English charityside, during his suspension.He is out of organised cricket until February 10 after testing positiveto banned diuretics.The board also ruled on several other issues surrounding Warne’ssuspension, allowing him to train with state and national sides while heis suspended.”The board did approve other activity while Warne is suspended,including training with club, state and national teams; taking part incoaching and promotional clinics, school promotions, junior developmentprograms and working as a media commentator,” the ACB said.The statement said the board and the association were discussing anapproach to the Law Institute of Victoria after Easter for arecommendation about a suitable arbitrator.Warne’s brother and manager Jason was unavailable for comment.