Adeel Raja suspension reduced

The suspension of Adeel Raja, the Netherlands offspinner, has been reduced to eight months following an appeal from his board.

On 9 September last year, after the Hoofdklasse final, Raja tested positive for the banned substance finasteride, which he had been taking as a measure against hair loss. He had received a dispensation from the KNCB, but when this expired on 1 July 2007 he had omitted to apply for an extension.

Finasteride is banned because it can be used as a masking agent to disguise the use of steroids. There was no suggestion that Raja had employed any other banned agent, or that he had derived any advantage from his use of finasteride.

The KNCB Disciplinary Committee had imposed a two year suspension, with the second year suspended, meaning that Raja would have been unable to take any part in the 2008 domestic season.

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