Verdict in the doping case of former Springboks hooker 'Chiliboy' Ralepelle impending

30 June 2020 - 12:18 By Mahlatse Mphahlele
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A file photo of Mahlatse "Chiliboy" Ralepelle passing the ball during the Springboks third Test match against England at Newlands in Cape Town in June 2018.
A file photo of Mahlatse "Chiliboy" Ralepelle passing the ball during the Springboks third Test match against England at Newlands in Cape Town in June 2018.
Image: David Rogers/Getty Images

The verdict in the doping case of former Springboks hooker Mahlatse “Chiliboy” Ralepelle will be announced this week‚ SA Institute for Drug Free Sport (Saids) chief executive Khalid Galant has confirmed.

The 32-year old Ralepelle‚ who had two positive drug tests in 2010 and 2014‚ was tested in a random check by Saids last year at the Sharks and tested positive for the banned substance Zeranol.

“I have an email and I am going to be issuing a statement this week after the athlete has been informed.

"Yes‚ the decision on the outcome of the Chilliboy Ralepelle case will be this week‚” Galant told TimesLIVE.

If found guilty of yet another doping offence‚ the career of Ralepelle‚ who has maintained his innocence throughout‚ may be over as he may be banned from the sport for a number of years.

Galant also gave an update on the case involving Springboks and Lions winger Aphiwe Dyantyi.

“That case hasn’t been heard yet‚ we are probably going to do a virtual hearing within the next two months.

"We just have to put together the rules and regulations for the virtual hearing.

"We have to develop a procedure and protocol for a virtual hearing and then the athlete‚ his counsel and the arbitrating panel have to agree because this virtual hearing is a new thing.

"We can’t just say we are going to have a virtual hearing‚ we have to give the parties the right to accept it or decline it and make sure that witnesses are not compromised‚” said Galant on the Dyantyi case.

“Initially we were supposed to have the hearing in early to mid April but he had to have a couple of supplements analysed.

"Unfortunately with the lockdown‚ labs who do the analysis of the supplements were closed‚ but I believe they have opened and we should be receiving the results of the supplements soon.

"The athlete sent a few supplements that he claimed could have been the source.”

Dyantyi was charged last year after testing positive for “multiple anabolic steroids and metabolites” while he was part of Springbok camps in the lead-up to the Rugby Championship.

Galant added that they are working on a few cases where athletes tested positive before the lockdown.

“We have a few positive cases where the athletes were tested before the lockdown and we are processing that.

"Everything was not that quiet during the lockdown‚ those athletes have requested B-Samples but I can’t say who their names are or their sports.

"By the end of July‚ I will not necessarily be able to tell you their names but their sports.” and the substances.”


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