Shane Warne has decided not to appeal against his 12-month ban from cricket after testing positive for a banned diuretic.
The 33-year-old leg spinner initially described the decision as "harsh" and said he had been the "victim of anti-doping hysteria".
He claimed he had taken a diuretic tablet on the advice of his mother in order to look better at a news conference.
Is Warne lucky not to have received the maximum sentence of two years? Where does this leave his career?
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He should have been given the full two-year ban, why should he be treated any differently? There is no excuse, as there are plenty of doctors around the teams these days giving advice. It's typical of the Australians; they push everything to the limit. This is the same reason that the game is going the same way as football - there is too much money at stake, instead of just enjoying the game.
There is absolutely no excuse for a professional sportsman to be ignorant of anti-doping policies
When other sportsmen/women from other countries take drugs the Australians always jump up and down about how wonderful they are about not taking drugs. Yet, when an Australian is found guilty, there are always pathetic excuses made.
Wake up Australia; you're the laughing stock of the world. Shane Warne is the top of the pile! Stay positive Shane!
Peter Metcalfe, Australia
Shane, what a fool you are! You stated on Sydney TV last night, it was a "silly" mistake! Of all the foolish and stupid things you have done since entering international cricket, that is a major understatement! You have 12 months to reflect on your larrikin-type behaviour, and with a bit of luck grow up!
I feel sorry for all the kids in Australia, who idolise you - you have let them down, but worst of all you have let yourself down! To the guys in South Africa, the nation is 100% behind you! Good luck, you don't need Shane to achieve the ultimate goal!
The man's a disgrace. There is absolutely no excuse for a professional sportsman to be ignorant of anti-doping policies. And it's commonly known by those working in elite sport that diuretics are frequently used to mask other banned substances. His track record of dishonest behaviour means he should do the decent thing for once and retire before he brings the game into any more disrepute.
Jackie, NZer in UK
First Shane Warne said it was one tablet, now he's admitted to more. Maybe that's why he has decided not to appeal? He has realised that he has got away very lightly. His ability is unquestioned, but like it or not, his achievements are tarnished.
True great of the game or not, he, and he alone has done a great deal to ensure that his on field deeds are not the only thing he will be remembered for.
Being a professional sportsman and having a full-time team doctor at his disposal Warne has no excuse for "accidentally" taking the diuretic. Like other sports personalities caught contravening the doping rules, he must be given a minimum 2 year ban.
L. Ferreira, South Africa
Shane is a true great of the game. There is no evidence that the tablet taken was to improve performance. The drugs committee should have been brave enough to have admitted publicly that they felt there was no real case instead to answer instead of giving a half hearted sentence. Let him play on. We will not see his ability again in our lifetime.
Martin Nickson, England
Take your punishment like a man,
What a waste of talent, just like Alex Higgins and George Best
Brian Heaney, United Kingdom
I am a great admirer of Shane Warne and I do not believe for one moment that he would take drugs.
However it is also very apparent that someone in his position must surely realise that taking anything for whatever reason in today's climate must be cleared through the team doctor.
I do hope that it does not signal the end to his career, it would be a blow to cricketers all over the world, but no matter how a big a star you are the rules cannot be bent to accommodate you.
Graham Tandy, England
Sadly it is a fair ban. Warne is a truly great cricketer but should not have taken a banned substance. He is a role model, good or bad; he must take the consequences of his actions.
On the basis of public information, the ban is quite excessive. No evidence has been provided to suggest Shane Warne was trying to mask performance-enhancing drugs.
A 3-month suspension would have been more than harsh, as it would have denied Warne, and his many fans, the chance of his participation in the current World Cup.
Harinder Jadwani, Canada
Unfair. To miss the World Cup and to deny one of Wisden's top 5 being on public show for a year, towards the end of his career is too big a price. A 3 month ban and a fine would have been adequate
Rob Salmon, England
Yes the ban is fair. He is a professional and should not take any drugs without the say so of coach and team doctors. He should grow up and act like a professional.
World cricket - and the World Cup in particular - has emerged as the real loser in this unfair and counter-productive process. Warne is a proven world-class performer with absolutely no need for performance-enhancing drugs.
I don't think it is fair. Perhaps a big fine and a probation period of 3 years. with a stiff warning that anything like this again and he's out for life.
Nick Midwood, UK
The ban should have been a six-month slap on the wrists, reflecting Warne's naivety. Despite this, I fully expect Warne to return to the international fold, to become the leading wicket-taker in Test cricket and to retire with self-respect and dignity earned from an illustrious international career.
Ross Campbell, Scotland
Shane Warne was silly not checking whether the tablet he took contained a banned substance. But he is not a cheat and everyone in world cricket is united in that view.
Drug testing was brought in to stop people taking performance-enhancing drugs and other illegal substances. The pendulum has swung from one extreme to another. Shane is innocent and although I hope he wins his appeal I very much doubt it. No one should be labelled a cheat and a drug user when clearly they are not.
What 33-year-old is going to take advice from his mother this day and age - come on, who is he trying to kid? He knows the implications of taking anything and is lucky he did not get the maximum penalty of two years!
Ms Hilary Aggio, England
Can anybody please explain to me how any artificial stimulant can enhance the performance of a slow spin bowler?
Peter Foy, Belgium
I don't believe for one second that Shane Warne has ever deliberately taken performance-enhancing drugs. It seems plain daft to have taken a diuretic - or anything for that matter - without being sure that it could have no consequences. He should have been reprimanded for a moment of stupidity, not banned
Even though I'm an Aussie I admit that Warne got off lightly. His excuse was an insult to the intelligence of the public and the full two-year penalty was begging to be applied.
I don't believe for one moment that he should have been banned
Of course his fans will trot out the tired old lines about cricket needing Shane Warne but he has become such an embarrassment that it is obvious that, in actual fact, cricket needs to be rid of him.
Paul Davis, Australia
It is an outrageous decision. Shane Warne should have been banned for at least two years!! Alain Baxter got banned for two years and had his bronze Olympic medal stripped, although he appealed!! It's one rule for one and another rule for someone else.
Jordan Richards, Doncaster, England
This will have been a difficult decision for them to make. On the one hand you have without question one of the best cricketers to have ever played the game, and to deny the fans of his skill and tenacity is a great loss to the game.
On the other, there are laws in place to outlaw drugs from the game. I don't believe for one second Warne took the banned drug intentionally, but nevertheless rules are rules.
As a professional sportsman this is just one of many things he should have been aware of and he deserves the ban.
It is just such a shame that he is likely end his career this way as opposed to walking off the field to a standing ovation. That would have done his vanity so much more than some slimming tablet.
Matt, United Kingdom
Warne has been given the benefit of the doubt too many times. Being irresponsible is not an excuse. He should have got the maximum two years. He did the crime and he should do the time. The ACB didn't have the guts to give Warne the max.
Warne may have done some stupid things in his time, but I don't believe for one moment that he should have been banned for being a victim of anti-doping hysteria, which seems to be spreading worldwide. He didn't deserve such a harsh ban, I hope he wins his appeal.
I cannot believe for one moment that Shane Warne would ever deliberately take performance enhancing drugs... especially at this stage in his somewhat chequered career.
He should be banned for the rest of his life
Shamal Jayakody, Sri Lanka
His role in the game require skill more than physical enhancements, so why would he even need anything "performance enhancing"?
X Cai, USA
He's lucky. What happened to the two-year minimum? We only have his word that it was unintentional. He recovered very quickly from his injury, and performance enhancement is not the only reason for taking drugs.
Shane's penalty is very light. He should be banned for the rest of his life. There is no room for drugs in cricket. It is the gentleman's game.
Shamal Jayakody, Sri Lanka
Interesting to note that his supporters treat his ignorance as mitigating. It's akin to blaming McDonald's for making you fat!
His stupidity was not for taking the drug, but thinking his status would protect him. He needs to grow up a little and learn the meaning of the word responsibility.
Derek Savory, UK
Even though the ban seems harsh, it is justified. One should keep in mind that if Warne was let off with a simple slap on the wrist, others could deliberately try to beat the system by claiming ignorance.
Shrikant Parimi, U.S.A
I don't believe for one second that Shane Warne has ever deliberately taken performance-enhancing drugs. It seems plain daft to have taken a diuretic - or anything for that matter - without being sure that it could have no consequences. He should have been reprimanded for a moment of stupidity, not banned.
He is a role model for youngsters and the ban should have been the maximum. He cannot state that he was not aware of what he took as the ACB had an education programme for all the cricketers for drug use. Vanity is not an excuse.
Anyone else would have been out longer or for life
Graham Dean, Australia
Performance in cricket is more reliant on skill and concentration, and less on physical endurance. I find it very difficult to believe that a drug can actually help you spin a ball more acutely or let you concentrate for longer periods that an already fit body could do anyway.
I personally think that the whole performance enhancing process have gone over the top. Some cough mixtures contain drug elements that are on the banned list. How in heavens name is this cough mixture going to enable a batsman to exercise better judgement and concentration, the elements needed for performance in batting?
Frederick Caiger, UK
Too short, he has lied so many times when caught out, but he is a hero here. They came up with the shortest punishment they could that looked real. Anyone else would have been out longer or for life.
Graham Dean, Australia
Warne has been very lucky in the past to escape bans for differing reasons. This time, he hasn't been able to get away with it.
Dave Mitchell, UK
Of course it's fair, if they allow him to get off on that excuse, everybody will try it on. It's his responsibility to watch what he takes - athletes get banned for that type of thing all the time. Look at Alain Baxter at the Winter Olympics, nobody let him off.
Mark, UK / Kosovo
He should have been banned for longer
This is not fair.
Yes, Warne tested positive, but it is not intentional.
A man of his calibre need not take drugs.
The ban should be only 3 months (just to calm the critics), if not at all.
Cricket really needs Shane.
When Warne knows doping tests are being conducted for the World Cup, he should have checked whether the tablets he took had been banned by the ICC. I think the suspension is fair. He must be made accountable for his mistakes.
Warne got a harsher penalty than I expected. Not as harsh as he deserves, but harsher than expected. After all, look how light a fine he got after his mixing with the bookies. He and Mark Waugh should have been banned for life then, but the Aussies look after their own.
Baz, United Kingdom
The ACB took action as per their laws and even if Warne had taken the pill unknowingly, he has to serve the ban under according to the rules. No one is to be blamed in this case, neither Warne nor the ACB.
He should have been banned for longer