Warne tells WADA to mind their own business

Melbourne, Aug 08: Shane Warne today told the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to mind their own business as debate continued over the issue of allowing the Australian leg spinner to play in charity matches while serving a doping ban. ``As far as I`m concerned it`s got nothing to do with these guys,`` Warne said in an interview aired on Australian Broadcasting Corp.Radio. ``I`m an employee of the Australian Cricket Board and both the ACB (now called Cricket Australia) and us have come to a decision.
`I`ve abided by their rules and had an arbitration meeting and they said I can play in charity games, I can train with the team, I can do all those things.`` Warne, the second highest wicket-taker in tests with 491 victims, was banned for 12 months after testing positive for diuretics in February.

Cricket Australia (CA), the national board, had said the 33-year-old should not be allowed to play any cricket.

But last month it released a joint statement with the Australian Cricketers` Association (ACA), the players` representative body, announcing that an independent arbitrator had cleared the way for Warne to play in charity matches.

Wada chief executive David Howman told the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday, ``it is not a ban if he is training or playing. I find this ruling particularly bizarre because it is out of character with Australia`s strong anti-doping stance.``

ACA chief executive Tim may the arbitration was not simply about Warne but the wider issue of whether CA had the power under its anti-doping policy to ban a player from charity matches.
``It has been proven, it does not,`` May said.

Warne`s brother and manager Jason Warne said Australia`s leading wicket-taker would not be taking part in a charity match with England Club lashings later this month.

`He won`t be over there for that (game on August 18),`` Jason Warne told today.

``We`ve had a couple of people from different countries have rung us about Shane playing in charity games but we haven`t agreed to play in any at this stage.

``There has been a lot of stuff in the media. It`s been a little bit disappointing, people coming out and making their comments and a lot of them ill-informed, but you just sort of go with it I guess.``

Warne, one of Wisden`s five cricketers of the 20th century, was booked for charity appearances in Australia and England in the coming months before resuming his role as a television commentator for Australia`s home series against Zimbabwe in October, his manager said.
Bureau Report