ICC’s Anti-Doping Code to come into effect from August 1

International Cricket Council has come out with its Anti-Doping Code to be effective from August 1 with modified “whereabouts” requirements after prolonged negotiations mainly due to BCCI’s objection to the original clause stipulated by the WADA.

ICC said in a statement that it has concluded “whereabouts” rules to support out-of-competition testing with all the member cricket boards agreeing to them.

The rules establish a two-tier approach to whereabouts filing with players who would be tested falling under two main pools: the International Registered Testing Pool (IRTP) and the National Player Pool (NPP).

Players who are known offenders or who may be of higher risk will be in IRTP. Players in NPP, which will comprise 88 internationals (11 from each of top-eight ODI teams according to ICC rankings), will need to submit “cricket whereabouts information” rather than that of their personal whereabouts.

The majority of the players will be in the NPP, where they would be tested exclusively when they are in a team environment — like when they are playing, on a tour, at a training camp or travelling with the team. Instead of the player doing it individually, the team management will file the whereabouts information for the player.