New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum Blames Heavy Pollution in Delhi for Positive Drug Test During IPL 2016

Back in IPL 2016, Brendon McCullum was tested positive for an excessive amount of salbutamol in his urine sample grabbed headlines. But now, the former New Zealand captain has spoken about the failure of the drug test to one of the agencies. McCullum who represented Gujarat Lions said that it was the heavy pollution in Delhi that forced him to take excessive medicines, which are generally prescribed to cure asthma.

He said, “There was a bit of a process to go through to make sure they had all the information and ticked off the areas they wanted to see, but we went through it all and (the BCCI) were actually pretty good to work with in the end," McCullum was quoted as saying by stuff.co.nz. "I certainly don't see it as a failed drug test. It was just a case of we just need to seek clarification and apply for this. I have no ill-feeling about (the process) and I also have no guilt or remorse about it because I needed a puff of my inhaler at that time," he added.

McCullum who has been ailing with asthma since his childhood said that he has always faced difficulties playing in Delhi. "I've heard this sort of rumbling around in the background for a while and I actually said to my wife, 'I don't know why we don't just deal with this now, I've got nothing to hide and it is better off just talking about stuff rather than having other people talking about it'. Otherwise, it just grows and festers," he said. "As far as I am concerned it was just a matter of making sure we got everything signed off properly, rather than it being a failed drug test," he said on a concluding note.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 23, 2018 06:01 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).