New Zealand cricketer Doug Bracewell has been handed a one-month suspension after testing positive for cocaine, following a test conducted during a Super Smash match earlier this year. The suspension, which was backdated to April 11, means Bracewell is now eligible to return to competitive cricket.
Bracewell, the 34-year-old fast bowler, was provisionally suspended on April 11 after an “adverse analytical finding” from a routine in-competition drug test. The test had been conducted on January 13, 2024, following the Super Smash match between Wellington Firebirds and Central Stags in Wellington.
The New Zealand Sports Tribunal revealed that Bracewell admitted to using cocaine but insisted the substance was consumed outside of competition, specifically before midnight on the day prior to the match. He maintained that the use of the drug was not performance-related. However, the Sport Integrity Commission (SIC) contested Bracewell’s position, arguing that the use had occurred in-competition.
After several months of deliberation, the Tribunal recently accepted Bracewell’s stance, acknowledging the completion of a Substance of Abuse treatment program, which led to a reduction in the initial sanction. In a joint memorandum filed on November 11, it was agreed that the appropriate penalty would be a three-month ineligibility period, which was then halved to one month due to Bracewell’s proactive steps toward rehabilitation.
This suspension, which was backdated to the date of his provisional ban, effectively clears Bracewell to resume playing immediately.
Doug Bracewell, a seasoned international player, has represented New Zealand in 28 Tests, 21 One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and 20 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) since his debut in 2011. His last appearance for the national team was in March 2023 during a Test match against Sri Lanka in Wellington. Throughout his domestic career, Bracewell has been a key player for Central Districts, although he recently opted to become a freelance cricketer, foregoing a contract with the club.
Bracewell is set to make his return to the field in the Abu Dhabi T10 League, where he is part of the New York Strikers. He is also scheduled to play for Joburg Super Kings in the upcoming SA20 league early next year.
This suspension marks a significant chapter in Bracewell’s career, but with his ineligibility period now concluded, the bowler will be eager to return to the game he has played at the highest level for more than a decade.
