Kagiso Rabada’s drug-related suspension was minor, but it’s a warning sign he can’t afford to ignore.
The story of Proteas fast bowler Kagiso Rabada having served time on “provisional suspension” for testing positive for a “recreational drug” is hardly the stuff of tragedy, of a beloved folk hero fallen from his perch of popularity.
The details of the incident – which took place during the SA20 tournament in February – have been kept opaque… deliberately so, perhaps.
But, even so, the suspension was, effectively, a mild rap on the knuckles, indicating that, by the scale of drug abuse in sport, this was a tiny blip of the radar of the authorities.
However, it was serious enough that the player was forced, as part of the sentence, to complete a substance abuse treatment programme.
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He successfully completed two sessions, after which he was cleared to return to competition.
Rabada, in apologising to the nation and his colleagues, recognised that he had erred – and hopefully that contrition will be real and we will not hear about similar incidents as long as he continues playing cricket.
However seemingly insignificant the offence was, it nevertheless does display a degree of recklessness which cannot merely be ascribed to youthful exuberance or curiosity.
Stay on the straight and narrow, KG. Your country needs you.
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