Springbok wing Aphiwe Dyantyi has been informed of a four-year suspension for a doping offence.
In 2019, just weeks before the Springboks were set to depart for the World Cup, news first broke that Dyantyi’s mandatory B sample had come back testing positive for three banned substances following a national training camp.
This past November, his hearing was finally concluded, and the SA Institute for Drug-free Sport (SAIDS) has now handed down a ban that will run until 12 August 2023, which is just days before his 29th birthday.
The news first broke in Sunday newspaper Rapport and has since been confirmed to SARugbymag.co.za by Saids CEO Khalid Galant.
He stated that the athlete was informed on Friday and that a formal statement will be released on Monday.
Dyantyi’s agent Gert van der Merwe told Rapport they were shocked by the outcome.
‘The decision makes no sense. I still have to read the full decision. My legal team and I plan on analysing the decision next week and we will decide whether to appeal.
‘I can’t give any details, since the case has not yet been finalised. If it were up to me, we would definitely appeal. The problem is that there are costs associated with it.
‘Aphiwe has not received a salary for the last 18 months and we’re trying to see what we can do. I believe the decision is wrong. Aphiwe can’t believe it. We were starting to get ready to play again,’ added Van der Merwe.
Sources told Rapport that Dyantyi presented in his defence that he had unknowingly consumed the banned substances on 30 June 2019 – two days before his urine sample was taken – when he drank from a friend’s bottle during a gym session.
