Sri Lanka warned over faith healers

29 August 2011 03:13 pm Views - 5676

Sri Lankan players have been told they must notify team medical staff if they plan to consult faith healers following the drugs ban being served on opening batsman Upul Tharanga.

The team's new Australian physiotherapist, Steve Mount, said players involved in the Test series against Australia had been made well aware of the potential pitfalls of bypassing more orthodox treatment for injuries.

Tharanga, 26, was suspended for three months leading up to the one-day series against Australia after testing positive to a banned substance during the World Cup. He pleaded guilty but claimed he had ingested the steroid in a herbal remedy given to him by a faith healer.

''If they're going to see someone else, they really should run it by me,'' Mount told the Herald. ''I think traditionally they've seen a few of those doctors around, speaking to the last physio who was here.

''But with Upul Tharanga and the drug controversy that happened with him, I don't think it's going to be quite as popular to go off to those guys now.''

Mount, who joined the Sri Lanka national team staff this month from the Australian Institute of Sport, said there was not an outright ban on faith healers but players had been instructed to go to him first.

''As long as they're open with me and I know exactly what they're doing, it's OK,'' he said. ''Anything they take they should be run by me, and then I can check it.'' (Source: smh)