New Zealand cricketer Doug Bracewell has been given a suspension of one month from the country's Sports Tribunal for "the presence and use" of cocaine and its metabolite benzoylecgonine (BZE). Bracewell was provisionally suspended without opposition on April 11, 2024, following an "adverse analytical finding" arising from a test conducted on January 13 during a Super Smash match between Wellington Firebirds and Central Stags at Wellington. The tribunal released the following statement on the case. The statement further revealed that Bracewell "had admitted to using cocaine but maintained his use occurred out-of-competition, being prior to midnight on the day before the match, and that it was not related to sport performance." The Sport Integrity Commission responded that "the use must have occurred in-competition." The tribunal also reconvened for additional proceedings where it handed a "period of one month ineligibility," backdated to April 11 where that was the date of the provisional suspension. Also Read | Cheteshwar Pujara to Feature in Border-Gavaskar Trophy But with a ‘Twist’ Expert evidence was presented by both the Commission and Bracewell. A date was appointed for the hearing on 11 and 12 December. But then on 11 November, "counsel filed a joint memorandum in which the Commission indicated that, having considered all the evidence filed in this proceeding, on balance, it accepted Mr Bracewell's position." Then, it was agreed that the appropriate sanction would be a three-month ineligibility period which reduced to one month because Bracewell was successful on a Substance of Abuse treatment program, approved by the Commission. Bracewell, 34, has played 28 Tests (74 wickets), 21 ODIs (26 wickets), and 20 T20Is (20 wickets) since his international debut in 2011. His last played for his national side in March 2023, where he played in a Test against Sri Lanka at Wellington. Bracewell, a long-time Central Districts player, recently announced his decision to leave the club's contract and transition to a freelancer. He is anticipated to play in early next year in the Abu Dhabi T10 league with New York Strikers and SA20 league with Joburg Super Kings.