Cape Town - West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell's hearing with the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) has been set for 28 September, and his lawyer says that it's up to JADCO to prove Russell is in the wrong.
Russell is accused of missing three doping spot checks in the course of 12 months, where he allegedly failed to tell JADCO of his whereabouts should they come looking.
His lawyer, Patrick Forster, says Russell does not need to prove otherwise, and that JADCO need to prove Russell was not available in that time.
Forster told the Jamaica Gleaner website: "The thrust of our case is that the doping authority, JADCO, must prove negligence that has to emerge in the context of the evidence as it is given, so that is, essentially, our position.
"The burden of proof is on JADCO.
"I don't want to comment too much on the details of the evidence in the midst of cross-examining the witness, but a good portion of the cross-examination relates to the July to September quarter, where JADCO recorded two filing failures.
"So in cross-examination, I am just questioning the basis which they arrived at two filing failures for the same quarter."
Russell has been playing cricket during the investigation, which has been running for a few months already, but is missing the tour to the UAE to face Pakistan this month.
Russell is accused of missing three doping spot checks in the course of 12 months, where he allegedly failed to tell JADCO of his whereabouts should they come looking.
His lawyer, Patrick Forster, says Russell does not need to prove otherwise, and that JADCO need to prove Russell was not available in that time.
Forster told the Jamaica Gleaner website: "The thrust of our case is that the doping authority, JADCO, must prove negligence that has to emerge in the context of the evidence as it is given, so that is, essentially, our position.
"The burden of proof is on JADCO.
"I don't want to comment too much on the details of the evidence in the midst of cross-examining the witness, but a good portion of the cross-examination relates to the July to September quarter, where JADCO recorded two filing failures.
"So in cross-examination, I am just questioning the basis which they arrived at two filing failures for the same quarter."
Russell has been playing cricket during the investigation, which has been running for a few months already, but is missing the tour to the UAE to face Pakistan this month.