- Springbok hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle has lost his appeal against an eight-year doping ban.
- The 34-year-old tested positive for anabolic steroid Zenarol in January 2019.
- The ban is backdated to 17 January 2019 for eight years but effectively ends Ralepelle's playing career.
Springbok hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle has lost his appeal against an eight-year doping ban, it was confirmed on Thursday.
The 34-year-old tested positive for anabolic steroid Zenarol in January 2019 during a Sharks training session and, as a result of this being his second infringement regarding the use of banned substances, he was banned for eight years.
In July of this year, Ralepelle confirmed that he would be appealing the decision, alleging that due process in the gathering and testing of the samples was not followed.
Now, four months later, that appeal process is over and the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) confirmed in a statement on Thursday that the original decision had been upheld.
Ralepelle's eight-year ban remains, effectively ending any small chance he had of returning to the playing field again.
"The athlete contested the doping charges in front of an Independent Doping Hearing Panel. This panel found the athlete guilty of the doping offence and took into account that it was his second doping offence within a 10-year period. The panel relied on the sanction's framework in the World Anti-Doping Code that granted them the jurisdiction to hand down an eight-year ban from sport," the SAIDS statement, confirmed by CEO Khalid Galant, read.
"The athlete lodged an appeal against the ban and also the drug testing process that he was subjected to.
"An Independent Appel Panel heard the grounds for appeal. The Appeal Panel found that the panel that heard the hearing, in the first instance, had not erred in their application of the sanction's framework in the World Anti-Doping Code.
"The Appeal Panel therefore upheld the original sanction of eight years. Mr Ralepelle's ban from sport is backdated to 17 January 2019 for eight years."
The statement concluded that if Ralepelle wanted to challenge the ruling further, his next action should be to consult the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland.
Ralepelle played 25 Tests for the Springboks between 2006-2018.
- Compiled by Sport24 staff
