Wessly Madhevere and Brandon Mavuta have been cleared by Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) to make a comeback to competitive cricket, having completed their four-month suspensions for drug use.
The suspension was announced by the apex cricket governing body in Zimbabwe after the two players tested positive for a recreational drug in December.
In addition to the suspension, Mavuta and Madhevere were also fined 50% of their salaries for three months, starting January 2024.
The duo was asked to train as per Zimbabwe Cricket's high-performance program and have now been cleared to participate in competitive cricket after passing their respective tests as confirmed by the managing director of Zimbabwe Cricket.
"I am pleased to welcome Wessly and Brandon back to competitive cricket after both of them underwent rehabilitation and also passed a drug test carried out to check if they were now clean," Givemore Makoni, the ZC managing director, said in a statement.
"More importantly, the two players acknowledged their mistakes and have vowed to stay clean and focus on their very promising careers as cricketers."
The statement issued by Zimbabwe Cricket also mentioned that it is running its own anti-drugs programme "voluntarily and separately" from the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
"Recognising the dangers that recreational drugs may cause, ZC opted to go beyond the ICC and WADA obligations by implementing an in-house drugs testing programme," Makoni said.
"This is a very important initiative that should be hailed for providing education, counselling and treatment, where appropriate, to rehabilitate players who have become involved with social drugs."
The statement issued by Zimbabwe Cricket also revealed that a ZC Academy player Davis Murwendo also returned a positive result for a social drug in the latest round of internal tests. Murwendo is set to appear for a hearing soon.
