Warne kept ICC in the dark on diuretic, paid for it

Shane Warne took a banned diuretic but his greater sin — the one that possibly nailed him — may have been keeping the ICC’s medical committee in the dark. Because diuretics, says Dr Anant Joshi, orthopedic surgeon and consultant to the BCCI, are often used as a masking agent and could have raised suspicions within the ICC.

‘‘All participating nations of the World Cup were issued a list of banned drugs and substances by the cricket governing body six months ago and if Warne was to be administered the fluid tablet (containing diuretics) his doctor should have informed the ICC,’’ Joshi said.

Diuretics are used to treat patients with heart trouble and help patients lose body fluids, and thereby weight, rapidly; they are especially popular among wrestlers, Joshi said.

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Was there was any link between Warne’s shoulder injury and the use of diuretics? Joshi said: ‘‘You can’t say things from here. But then again as I said, diuretics being a masking agent, the use could have been intentional.

‘‘The B sample is still to be tested and things would get more clear only after that,’’ he said.