Steelbacks batter Chris Lynn hit with suspension after failing Blast Finals Day drugs test
Northants Steelbacks batter Chris Lynn tested positive for cocaine after an 'In Competition sample' was collected on Vitality Blast Finals Day in July.
The news has been revealed by The Cricket Regulator, which has handed a one-month ban to the Australian - with that suspension already having been served.
It means Lynn is free to continue playing, having just signed a contract with Melbourne Renegades ahead of the Big Bash League which starts next month.
Lynn admitted to taking cocaine in the midweek leading up to Finals Day, on the Wednesday night (July 15), and it was deemed to be an 'out-of-competition' offence.
Former Australia international Lynn played in both the semi-final and final at Edgbaston as the Steelbacks saw off Somerset and Hampshire Hawks to lift the Blast title for the third time.
He had to provide a urine sample which was was sent to the WADA-accredited Laboratory in the Laboratoire Anti-Dopage in France for analysis and it returned Adverse Analytical Findings (“AAF”) for cocaine’s Metabolite benzoylecgonine.
A statement read: "The Cricket Regulator has imposed a one-month suspension on former Northamptonshire Steelbacks cricketer Chris Lynn.
"The period of suspension has now been served.
"Mr Lynn produced an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for the presence of cocaine's Metabolite, benzoylecgonine, related to an In Competition sample collected on the 18 July 2026.
"Mr Lynn has accepted the sanction. No further comment will be made on this matter."
The full ruling was also published and stated that Lynn was charged in September with two Anti-Doping Rules offences.
They were: 'ADR Article 2.1 – in that a Prohibited Substance, namely cocaine and its metabolite benzoylecgonine was present in the Cricketer’s A Sample; and 1 This reasoned decision has been prepared in accordance with the ADRs and the WADA International Standard for Results Management. 2 Capitalised terms that are not otherwise defined bear meaning attributed to them in the ADRs or the relevant WADA International Standard.Classified as Confidential
'b. ADR Article 2.2 – in that the Cricketer Used a Prohibited Substance, namely cocaine, on or before 18 July 2026 (the “ADRVs”).’
Lynn admitted to the offence, with the ruling stating: "The Cricketer (Lynn) provided a response on 20 August 2026, confirming that he had used cocaine on 15 and 16 July 2026 (being during a period of several hours across the evening of 15 July 2026 and into the early hours of 16 July 2026), and asserting that this amounted to an out-of-Competition ADR violation and unrelated to sporting performance.
"Included in the response was expert evidence supporting the position that the ingestion of cocaine occurred out-of-competition.
"The Cricket Regulator instructed its own expert to consider the contents of the response and expert evidence provided by the Cricketer. The expert opinion received by the Cricket Regulator stated that based on the evidence provided the expert was of the view that the ingestion occurred out-of-competition.”
Lynn was originally handed a three-month ban for the offence, but that was reduced to one after he agreed to 'complete a substance of abuse treatment programme'.
The Cricket Regulator's full decision also ruled that 'Under ADR Article 11 there is no requirement that Northampton Steelbacks receive any form of sanction."
Northants have stated they will be making no comment on the decision.