Springbok and Lions prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye has been banned for 18 months following a hearing into his failed drug test last month, the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) said in a statement on Thursday.
The Independent Doping Tribunal Panel (IDTP) ruled that Ntlabakanye’s ban would run from Wednesday (May 13) to November 13 2027.
The player’s urine sample tested positive for hormone Anastrozole during an out-of-competition test on May 22 last year.
The substance did not warrant a mandatory suspension, SAIDS said, but Ntlabakanye declared that he had used a prohibited anabolic steroid, DHEA. On September 9 he was charged.
The hearing was held in March, with SAIDS providing closing arguments on April 21.
“Within the framework of the SA Anti-Doping Rules, the IDHP ruled that Ntlabakanye must serve an 18-month ban for doping.
“Furthermore, the IDHP ruled that all the player’s individual competitive results and benefits, such as player-of-the-match awards, personal accolades, match fees and bonuses, are disqualified with effect from the date of sample collection and the disqualification of results is limited to the player’s own individual competitive results and benefits and does not extend to a team result.”
Ntlabakanye has 21 days to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland.
SAIDS it was reviewing the merits of the decision before deciding whether to appeal the decision.
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