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Players to undergo dope testing at World Cup

COLOMBO, Wednesday (Reuters) - Players competing at next year's World Cup will be tested for doping for the first time, the world cricket governing body said on Wednesday.

"We will be bringing in a doping policy at the World Cup," the International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Malcolm Speed told a news conference.

A list of banned substances has already been sent to each of the 14 participating countries, he said.

The move could be the first step in ICC's plans to draw up a permanent doping policy for the game, he said.

Speed said cricket was regarded as "low risk" by experts compared to disciplines like weightlifting, cycling and athletics.

But South African government's doping regulations made testing mandatory at the February 8-March 23 event, he said.

"All boards will be encouraged to work with players, medical officers and physiotherapists...to avoid any inadvertent breach of that policy," Speed said.

The ICC had already introduced dope testing at the under-19 World Cup held in New Zealand earlier this year.

Speed said the ICC has drawn up a separate list of banned substances. "It will be different from the International Olympic Council (IOC) list," he said.