New Zealand Cricketer Jesse Ryder has tested positive to a performance-enhancing stimulant and been suspended for six months.
The Sports Tribunal of New Zealand on Tuesday released a statement saying Ryder had been banned for six months from April 19.
The ban ends on October 19, before the New Zealand domestic season begins where he will be free to play for his new team, Otago.
The tribunal said Ryder tested positive for 1-Phenylbutan-2-amine (PBA) and N, alpha-diethyl-benzeneethanamine (DEBEA), both of which are banned in competition.
Ryder admitted the violation at a Drug Free Sport New Zealand (DFSNZ) hearing earlier this month where he said he had no intention of using a banned substance.
He said he had purchased a dietary supplement to help him lose weight and had taken two capsules five days before being tested on March 24.
Ryder told the hearing the product contained a warning that it may contain banned substances.
He admitted he failed to contact DFSNZ to seek clearance to take the product, instead seeking information on the internet.
The 29-year-old was only told he had tested positive after he was released from hospital following an assault in Christchurch in March.
He suffered a head injury and spent two days in an induced coma. He hasn’t played cricket since.
Ryder played 18 Tests, 39 one-day internationals and 20 Twenty20 internationals from 2008 to February 2012.
He has made himself unavailable for New Zealand selection for personal reasons.