Just over a week after Asenathi Ntlabakanye featured for South Africa against the Wallabies in the Rugby Championship opener, SA Rugby announced that the Springbok prop had returned an “adverse analytical finding” during random testing by the South African Institute for Drug Free Sport (SAIDS).
That original statement from SA Rugby was extremely clear cut in stating that the substance he tested positive for “was prescribed by a specialist physician early in 2025 for medical reasons, and taken with the approval and the supervision of a medical doctor”.
The statement also clearly indicated that it was a “non-performance enhancing substance”.
However, in a bombshell story by the Daily Maverick, it’s reported that Ntlabakanye has been formally charged with another doping offence related to dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a ‘non-specified’ and ‘performance-enhancing’ substance.
In a further twist, according to the Daily Maverick, the second offence (related to DHEA) did not actually show up in Ntlabakanye’s test results, but he incriminated himself – unwittingly – by declaring it in what seems to be an act of good faith due to the fact it had been cleared by medical professionals.
However, this potential oversight from medical professionals who allegedly cleared him to take the offending prescribed medication, could now lead to a lengthy ban.
Be that as it may, under the principle of strict liability, athletes are responsible for everything they ingest, regardless of medical advice, and a first-time offence for a non-specified drug can result in a maximum four-year suspension.
The shock news comes in what has been a breakthrough season for Ntlabakanye, who featured in the season-opener against the Barbarians, and subsequently earned two Test caps off the bench, against Italy, and Australia.
There is still hope that a legitimate defence can be mounted, but his legal team is only expected to plead their case at a hearing in the second half of September.
Only once this has been concluded and duly considered, the 26-year-old will then found out if he faces any suspension. At the moment, he is in fact not banned, and the decision for him not to tour with the Springboks to New Zealand was taken by SA Rugby so he can focus on the case and his defence.
The hearing will be held in front of an independent panel, and although an exact date has not been set, it does seem highly unlikely that Ntlabakanye will feature for the Springboks again in the near future.
It now just remains to be seen whether he could face a suspension, and what that length of time would be.
All the information shared on Springbok prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye by SA Rugby to date:
- Ntlabakanye disputes that he has committed an anti-doping violation.
- The non-performance enhancing substance for which he tested positive was prescribed by a specialist physician early in 2025 for medical reasons and taken with the approval and the supervision of a medical doctor specifically appointed to manage the medical affairs of professional rugby players.
- Ntlabakanye was transparent in his declarations, acted in good faith and at all times followed the medical due process as prescribed by the industry. He relied on the relevant professional medical advice and at no time did he seek to obtain an unfair advantage nor did he take any medical substance without prior medical authorisation.
- Ntlabakanye will not be considered for the forthcoming tour to New Zealand to allow the player to concentrate on defending the case.
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