Suspended Shange’s Tokyo dream rests on Court of Arbitration for Sport

02 July 2021 - 09:41 By david isaacson
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Suspended Lebogang Shange's fate in qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics is in the hands of the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Suspended Lebogang Shange's fate in qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics is in the hands of the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Image: Roger Sedres/ImageSA/Gallo Images

SA’s two suspended athletes, sprinter Carina Horn and walker Lebogang Shange, are awaiting hearings for their cases, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said on Thursday.

Both of them tested positive for banned substances in 2019, but because they’re contesting their adverse analytical findings, they are serving provisional suspensions.

Shange was temporarily released from his suspension for a week in late June so he could secure qualification for Tokyo. He competed in two events, one in SA and one in Europe.

Horn, Shange and long-jumper Luvo Manyonga, who last month was banned for four years, are on World Athletics’ list of athletes who have qualified for the Games. 

The AIU said in a written response to questions that the matters involving Horn and Shange had yet to be finalised.

Horn tested positive for Ibutamoren and LGD-4033 and Shange for the anabolic steroid trenbolone.

“[Shange’s] case has been referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas). There will be a hearing and operative decision in his case during the month of July. He has qualified, so the Cas decision will determine his eligibility to compete in Tokyo,” the spokesperson said.

“Horn is awaiting a hearing before the World Athletics disciplinary tribunal.”

Horn, who insists the banned substances were in supplements she had bought over the counter, last competed in September 2019.

She holds the women’s SA 100m record of 10.98sec and Shange owns the men’s 20km race walking mark of 1hr 19min 18sec.


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