The Royal Gazette can reveal that a relative of one of the three cricketers that failed mandatory national team drugs scans has now threatened to take legal action against Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB).

According to various well-placed sources, a relative of one of the players stormed into a meeting that was in progress at BCB headquarters last Tuesday demanding to speak with senior Board officials while declaring the innocence of their family member after this newspaper broke the story about the trio's failed drug scans.

It is also understood the disgruntled relative confronted staff at Bermuda Council for Drug Free Sport (BCDS) and is now seeking legal advice from a lawyer over a matter involving three cricketers who all featured in last summer's rain-hit Cup Match classic at Wellington Oval.

But when contacted yesterday BCB president Reggie Pearman said he had yet to receive any legal notice of an impending case against his administration.

"We haven't received anything yet and if there is a legal case impending then I have no comment to make until we first receive notice," he said. "But if this individual wishes to file a legal suit against us then we will consult our lawyers and do whatever we have to do.

"But at this particular time I don't have anything else to say on the matter."

Earlier in the week Pearman said all of those who take national team "pre-event" drugs scans are all aware of the risks and penalties for failing the test which is a requirement of the Government.

"All of the players knew what was required of them and what the consequences were," he told The Royal Gazette. "All of the players were tested, but unfortunately not everyone cleared the process."

BCDS programme director Cathy Belvedere did not return calls yesterday.

The Gazette reported earlier this week that three players all failed the test.

According to reliable sources two of the three players tested positive while the other is understood to have used a substance considered as a masking agent, offences that carries a lengthy ban.

In accordance to the BCDS' rigid drug testing policies, the penalty for failing mandatory drugs scans carries a minimum one-year suspension.

However, under BCDS standard operating procedures the trio, who were all invited to challenge for a spot on Bermuda's Stanford 20/20 team, can appeal against their bans or agree to specific terms that will enable them to resume playing at the domestic level solely.

"They can apply for the domestic application whereas they won't be able to represent Bermuda during that year but can go back to playing sport at the domestic level," Belvedere explained earlier this week.

"They would also have to agree to some counseling, but that's only if there's a positive find."

Meanwhile, it emerged yesterday that a player chosen to accompany Bermuda's Under 19 national team on a tour of Trinidad last December also failed a drugs scan and was subsequently removed from the team that departed for India last Wednesday.