Upul Tharanga has been banned from cricket activities until 9th August 2011 after falling foul of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Anti-Doping Code.
Tharanga test positive for a banned substance following his side's ICC Cricket World Cup semi-final against New Zealand on 29th March 2011.
His urine sample was found to contain traces of two glutocortisteroids - Prednisone and Prednisolone - which are on the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) prohibited list.
An independent anti-doping tribunal comprising chairman Tim Kerr QC, Dr. Anik Sax and Prof. Peter Sever heard the case while Tharanga pleaded guilty, having ingested the substances with a herbal remedy he had taken to ease a long-standing shoulder injury.
The tribunal found that at no time was Tharanga trying to improve his performance or mask the use of a performance-enhancing product, but he had failed to to satisfy high standards of personal responsibility expected of an international cricketer under ICC anti-doping rules.
The three-month suspension was backdated to begin on 9th May 2011 and will expire on 8th August 2011.
"I apologise to the fans and followers of Sri Lanka cricket for inadvertently committing an offence," Tharanga said.
"I hope my fellow sportsmen will learn from my experience and be more vigilant when taking medical treatment, so that their careers do not suffer in the way that mine has."
Haroon Lorgat, ICC Chief Executive, added: "We recognise that Upul has not been found guilty of deliberately cheating, but the ICC maintains its zero-tolerance approach towards doping for the benefit of all its stakeholders.
"Cases like this serve as a reminder to all players that they must take great care and personal responsibility at all times for the substances that they consume.
"I am satisfied with the tribunal’s decision and pleased at the way the ICC has handled this case with both sensitivity and efficiency."
Both Tharanga and the ICC are entitled to appeal the decision provided they do so within 21 days of their receipt of the written decision.
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