South Africa controversy: Ganja 6-Pack

The South African cricket team is on a high after winning the Test and One-Day Series against the West Indies, but another high has bowled some of them.

Six South Africans have been fined for smoking marijuana during the current tour of the West Indies, the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) announced yesterday in Johannesburg.

But team manager Goolam Rajah denied any knowledge of the UCBSA statement and declared himself unavailable for comment.

Whatever you are talking about, I am not aware of it, Rajah said when pressed for comment by the Saturday Sun yesterday evening.

I cannot make a comment on something that I haven't seen or read.

The UCBSA identified Herschelle Gibbs, Paul Adams, Roger Telemachus, Andre Nel, Justin Kemp and physiotherapist Craig Smith as the ones who were found smoking the drug in a hotel room on April 10 following South Africa's capture of the Test series in Antigua.

The accused all admitted their guilt and the Misconduct Committee (made up of team management and senior players) accepted that this was a one-off incident, the statement said.

The accused all expressed remorse, apologised and gave an assurance that this would not happen again.

Each individual was fined 10000 rand (BDS$2 500) and severely reprimanded.

In the case of Gibbs, it represents his third offence in just over a year.

In the middle of last year, he was banned for six months following his involvement in the match-fixing scandal.

Last May, he was also fined 15 000 rand (BDS$3 750) and given a threematch international suspension for unbecoming conduct related to an incident on the eve of a One-Day International against Australia on April 14.

Part of the fine and the three-match suspension were suspended for a year.

The suspended sentence imposed on Gibbs, however, may not be invoked by the on-tour Misconduct Committee of the South African cricket team in the West Indies as it was not handed down by that committee, the UCBSA said.

It was handed down by a Disciplinary Committee convened by the General Council of the UCBSA and thus the tour Misconduct Committee does not have the authority to invoke it.

The Misconduct Committee held a second inquiry following an incident between batsman Daryll Cullinan and Telemachus during a match in Montego Bay.

The committee recommended that Telemachus be fined 1 000 rand for verbally abusing another player and another 1 000 rand because it was his second offence on the tour. He also apologised to Cullinan.

Cullinan was fined 2000 rand for leaving the field of play during a match without the consent of the captain. Both players were informed of their right to appeal the decision and the UCBSA accepted the committee's recommendation.