Jesse Ryder says he's ''devastated'' by his six-month suspension after testing positive for a banned substance but is accepting the tribunal's decision.



The troubled cricketer was banned for six months by the Sports Tribunal of New Zealand after testing positive for two prohibited substances contained in the weight-loss product Gaspari Detonate.



But he won't miss any first-class cricket for his new province, Otago, as the retrospective ban ends on October 19, before the start of the new season.



"I'm devastated by this situation. I've never taken drugs and to be in this situation distresses me greatly. I simply took the supplement alongside a training programme I was completing to help me lose weight,'' Ryder said in a statement released by the NZ Cricket Players Association.



"I have attended anti-doping education seminars during my time in cricket and am a strong supporter of Drug Free Sport New Zealand.



"I'm aware of the precautions you need to take; I did take steps to check the supplement but ultimately it was my responsibility and I accept that.''



"Whilst everyone is aware of my well documented battles with alcohol, it's important for me to state that I abhor drug use of any kind, both recreational and performance-enhancing in sport.''



Routine drug tests conducted at the Basin Reserve on March 24, after Wellington's match against Northern Districts, identified the prohibited substances N-alpha-diethyl-benzeneethanamine (DEBEA) and 1-phenylbutan-2-amine (PBA) in Ryder's sample.



Ryder was informed of the positive test on April 12 and appeared in a hearing with the Sports Tribunal earlier this month.



He commissioned his own ESR analysis, which traced the DEBEA (and its resulting metabolic PBA) to the weight-loss product he was taking at the time.



The substances were not disclosed on the product label, indicating contamination at the time of manufacture, or mislabelling.



The decision states Ryder made his own enquiries about the product and sought the assistance of his long-time trainer Stephen Hotter, a conditioning specialist employed by High Performance Sport NZ.



On that information, Ryder thought the product did not contain any substances on the Prohibited Substance List and ''began to use it in association with his weekly gym sessions''.



After doing his own preliminary searches, Ryder sent Hotter a text message saying: ''do you know if any of this is a banned substance?''. Hotter said he would check.



Hotter gave evidence that he checked the World Anti Doping Agency list for three substances in the product on an iPhone application and later on his computer.



He confirmed he told Ryder that none of the ingredients appeared to be a banned substance.



''Mr Hotter's evidence was that Mr Ryder then replied 'so it should be ok' or words to that effect to which Mr Hotter agreed," the decision reads.



"However, Mr Hotter also said that he told Mr Ryder that he would be want to be sure and that he should check them out for himself."



The tribunal said it was ''more than comfortably satisfied that Mr Ryder's taking of the two capsules on 19 March 2013 was without any intent at all to enhance sports performance in the cricket game which he subsequently took part in on 24 March 2013''.



''In his testing declaration he disclosed that he had taken two tablets of Tramadol in the days prior to the test,'' the decision said.



Ryder admitted the violation in his notice of defence filed on May 31 and indicated he wished to participate in a hearing to make submissions on any sanctions he may have faced.



That hearing took place on August 9 and evidence was given by Ryder, his manager and long-time friend Aaron Klee among others including Drug Free Sport chief executive Graeme Steel.



During the ban, Ryder ''may not during the period of ineligibility participate in any capacity in a competition or activity authorised or organised by New Zealand Cricket or a cricket club or other member organisation''.



His last match was in Christchurch on March 28, the same day he was assaulted outside a Christchurch bar.



Ryder is due to begin his contract with Otago Cricket on October 1.