Arbitration on suspended players issue goes ACA way

Suspended leg spinner Shane Warne has been given the green light to play in charity or testimonial matches as the result of independent arbitration over the issue which saw a decision announced today.

Warne is serving a 12-month suspension for infringing Cricket Australia's drug code earlier this year.

The details of the decision have not yet been handed down for public consumption by the arbitrator, Peter O'Callaghan QC, a Victorian barrister. As a result no comment is being made by either of the parties in the dispute, Cricket Australia or the Australian Cricketers' Association.

The two had disagreed over a provision in the Memorandum of Understanding between the two. It related to clause 12.4 (a) (iii) and whether that allowed Cricket Australia to prevent players from appearing in charity or testimonial matches while under suspension for infringements of Cricket Australia's anti-doping rules.

In the only comment to date, O'Callaghan has merely advised that Cricket Australia does not have the right to enforce that stance. He has said he will release his decision, which binds both parties, later this week.