Leg spinner Shane Warne has been banned from all cricket for one year by the Australian Cricket Board after failing a drugs test for a diuretic.
Warne has seven days to appeal against the ban
The ban runs until 10 February 2004 and was announced by the ACB on Saturday.
The ban rules Warne out of the World Cup and Australia's upcoming Test series against the West Indies, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, India and Sri Lanka.
The 33-year-old has vowed to appeal against the verdict and has seven days in which to do so.
He looked angry and shaken when he faced the media after the decision had been announced and said: "I feel I am a victim of the anti-doping hysteria.
It had nothing to do with cricket or trying to mask anything, it had to do with appearance
"I also want to repeat, I have never taken any performance enhancing drugs and never will.
"I feel a 12 months suspension is a harsh penalty for not checking what I took with anyone.
"The tablet I took on the 21 January was a fluid tablet, I did not know it was a diuretic. I knew it as a fluid tablet.
"It had nothing to do with cricket or trying to mask anything, it had to do with appearance."
Australia's Test captain Steve Waugh said Warne could find it difficult to come back from the ban.
"It is a long time out of sport, particularly for a guy who loves playing at the top level," Waugh said.
"Having 12 months without cricket is going to be very difficult
"I am sure that Shane will initially say to himself 'I want to get back in there and back on the field'.
"But as time goes by his mind will be in different places. When you have an injury, you have a reason why you are not playing but this time it is enforced for other reasons.
"It is going to be difficult for him to keep his motivation up."
Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates said: "This is a stark reminder to everyone that you have to know what's inside your body and you're responsible for what you take."