|
Sepeng hit with doping ban
22/05/2006 10:59 - (SA)
Cape Town - South Africa's former Olympic
800m silver medalist Hezekiel Sepeng has been banned
from all competition for two years, Athletics South Africa
(ASA) announced on Monday.
Sepeng, who won the silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta
Olympics, was tested out of season in his hometown of
Potchefstroom, north west of Johannesburg, in February 2005.
The findings of the test were made public in May last year,
when it was revealed that his sample contained traces of the
steroid Norandrosterone.
Sepeng had denied any wrongdoing and claimed there were
"exceptional circumstances," without revealing the details in
public.
"Sepeng's case was referred to the IAAF's Doping Review
Board in January by ASA's disciplinary committee for
consideration of exceptional circumstances," a statement from
the ASA said.
"However it found that no exceptional circumstances
existed. Therefore, the ASA Disciplinary Committee, having
considered the determination of the IAAF's Doping Review Board,
have found Sepeng guilty of having committed a doping offence.
"The sanction is a two-year period of ineligibility from
the date upon which Sepeng was provisionally suspended by ASA,
namely May 11, 2005 until May 10, 2007."
The ruling could effectively end the career of the
31-year-old athlete.
- Reuters
|
