Cricketer Chris Lynn Served One-Month Anti-Doping Suspension Following Positive Cocaine Test

Cricketer Chris Lynn served a one-month suspension earlier this year following a positive test for a cocaine metabolite, according to regulatory findings. The 36-year-old athlete was tested on the day of England’s T20 Blast finals in July, where he had helped Northamptonshire secure the title.

Subsequent tests identified an adverse analytical finding for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. England’s Cricket Regulator stated that Lynn did not hold a therapeutic use exemption for the substance and admitted to an anti-doping rule violation after acknowledging he used the drug days prior to the test.

Regulatory findings indicated that Lynn successfully argued his drug consumption constituted an out-of-competition violation that was unrelated to sporting performance. He initially faced a three-month suspension, which was reduced to one month after he completed a substance of abuse treatment program.

The one-month penalty was backdated to cover the period between 31 July and 30 August. Following his appearance in the T20 Blast, Lynn had been scheduled to play in Sri Lanka but was ruled out after one match on 29 July due to an unspecified leg injury.

The suspension was revealed just days after reports linked the veteran batter to a potential move to the Melbourne Renegades ahead of the Big Bash League season starting next month. Because Lynn is not currently bound by a Cricket Australia contract and has completed his penalty, any additional disciplinary action remains at the discretion of his BBL club.

Lynn holds the record as the leading run-scorer and six-hitter in the Big Bash League. His career includes four one-day internationals and 18 T20 internationals for Australia, alongside appearances for at least 25 different T20 franchises worldwide.