India cricketers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shafali Verma have reportedly been issued formal notices by the National Anti-Doping Agency following “whereabouts failures” linked to their mandatory dope testing obligations under World Anti-Doping Agency rules.
According to reports, Dope Control Officers attempted to conduct out-of-competition tests late last year but were unable to locate either player at their declared testing locations. Shafali Verma was reportedly unavailable during a visit around November 7, while Yashasvi Jaiswal was similarly absent during a testing attempt around December 17.
Both players are part of NADA's Registered Testing Pool (RTP), which places elite athletes under stricter anti-doping monitoring protocols. Under WADA's “whereabouts” rules, athletes in the RTP must provide detailed quarterly updates about their locations, including residential addresses, overnight accommodation details, travel schedules, training venues and contact information.
Athletes are also required to specify a daily 60-minute time slot during which they guarantee their availability for no-notice testing. Failure to accurately update these details or being absent during the declared one-hour window is classified as a “whereabouts failure” or “missed test” under anti-doping regulations.
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As things stand, neither Jaiswal nor Verma faces an immediate suspension. Reports indicate this has been recorded as a first missed test for both cricketers. NADA reportedly sought explanations from the players earlier this year before issuing formal notices after no response was received within the stipulated timeline.
Under Article 2.4 of the WADA and NADA anti-doping code, a single missed test effectively serves as a warning. However, accumulating three whereabouts failures, either through missed tests or filing failures, within a rolling 12-month period constitutes an anti-doping rule violation and can attract suspensions of up to four years.
“Notices have been issued to the concerned athletes, and the same has been intimated to the national federation (the BCCI) and the ICC,” a well-placed source told PTI, even as NADA declined official comment citing confidentiality protocols surrounding anti-doping procedures.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has also acknowledged receiving communication from NADA regarding the matter.
“Yes, we have received notification from NADA on missed tests. We will check with them as to how it happened, and will take necessary steps so that such things do not happen in future,” a BCCI source told PTI.
The development also comes amid increased scrutiny on cricket's anti-doping compliance standards following the sport's inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
“Cricket is back in the Olympics and we need to adhere to all the protocols so that everything goes on smoothly,” the BCCI source added.
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