Disgraced Australian Test cricketer Shane Warne said on Friday he will take no further part in any official training until the end of his 12-month drug ban in February.
The controversial 33-year-old leg-spinner told a press conference in Melbourne that the arguments about what he can do in cricket during his ban had gone on for too long.
Cricket Australia (CA) has been told by the government-funded Australian Sports Commission (ASC) that it was unacceptable for Warne to train while serving his 12-month ban for taking a banned diuretic, detected in a doping test prior to the World Cup in South Africa.
Under CA’s anti-doping policy, the training ban covers national, state and even club training.
”I think it’s ridiculous that six months after the event to now to say I can’t train … [it] just seems there are too many agendas with too many people,” Warne said reading from a statement.
”I have come to the decision that I am going to remove myself from all official training.
”I have made this decision as I do not want to place any teammates or anyone else in an awkward position.
”I will continue to work on my fitness and my cricket skills by myself and with some friends.
”I know I still have a lot to offer cricket, at what level that is, is out of my control.
”All I can do is to present myself in the best possible way and hope that the powers that be will enjoy my return [to cricket].”
Warne would not take questions from the media at his press conference.
Warne began his brief address saying that any issues or allegations concerning his private life would remain private.
It was his first comments on the controversy since South African woman Helen Cohen Alon accused Warne more than a fortnight ago of sending her raunchy text messages.
A Melbourne stripper has also approached media outlets with allegations of an affair with the leg-spinner.
This follows an admission in August 2000 that Warne made lewd telephone calls to a nurse while playing county cricket in England.
He subsequently lost the Australian Test team vice-captaincy over the incident.
Warne’s wife, Simone, said she would stand by her husband, who has figured in several off-field incidents over the years.
Former Test teammate Merv Hughes said the official refusal for Warne to train with his national, state and club sides had affected him.
”I saw him a couple of days ago and he’s not the Shane Warne that you know, he’s really flat and it just seems to have really gotten hold of him,” Hughes said on Friday.
”Shane Warne is a close friend of mine and you’ve got to feel for him with what he’s going through.
”It would be great if they came out and said ‘yeah, Shane can train and prepare himself’ because he is going to be the first Australian cricketer to take 500 Test wickets.”
Warne is Australia’s greatest wicket-taker with 491 in 107 Tests and needs 29 wickets to overtake West Indian Courtney Walsh’s world mark of 519 Test wickets.
Federal Treasurer Peter Costello said the ASC was required to maintain drug-free sport in Australia.
”That’s why they are taking such a strong stand in this and they have the full backing of the government to do that,” Costello said.
”This isn’t a situation where the government is determining something.
”The government is backing the sports commission, which is an expert body, which is charged with responsibly administering the area.”
CA is meeting over the next two days to decide on the matter. — Sapa-AFP