Springbok and Lions prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye is facing an anxious wait as his doping hearing has been paused until late April. The hearing, which began in Johannesburg last week, is a complex case that involves the liability of a medical professional prescribing medication to a trusting patient. Ntlabakanye tested positive for the non-performance-enhancing banned substance Anastrozole in August last year, which is primarily used in the treatment of breast cancer.
The issue with this drug is that it blocks estrogen and can combat the side effects of anabolic steroids. According to the Wikipedia page on Anastrozole, the substance is not commonly used by athletes, but it can be used to treat conditions such as breast cancer. The reason why Ntlabakanye was prescribed this drug will have emerged at the hearing, but there is more to the unique case than this.
Doping Case Details
When the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) did their routine testing with the Lions, Ntlabakanye innocently raised a red flag when filling out a declaration form before the testing. He wrote that he had taken Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a substance regarded as performance-enhancing and strictly off-limits to athletes. Almost bizarrely, and muddying the waters in this case, Ntlabakanye did not test positive for DHEA, despite admitting on official documentation he had taken it.
As it stands, a positive DHEA test results in a four-year ban, while the less serious Anastrozole comes with a two-year suspension. Moreover, Ntlabakanye has been allowed to continue playing because it was the non-performance-enhancing Anastrozole that SAIDS found in his system. The Lions, meanwhile, have taken precautions in case there is bad news for Ntlabakanye at the end of April — they have signed former Junior Springbok prop Corne Weilbach.
Impact on the Lions
Coach Ivan van Rooyen recently said, “We believe and hope for the best for Asenathi. If it doesn’t turn out that way … that is one of the reasons why (Weilbach) joined us recently.” The Lions will enjoy a fortnight off due to not playing in EPCR club competition over the next two weeks. Their next match is a URC clash against former champions Glasgow Warriors on April 18.
Here are some key points to consider in the Ntlabakanye doping case:
- Ntlabakanye tested positive for Anastrozole, a non-performance-enhancing banned substance.
- The substance is primarily used in the treatment of breast cancer.
- Ntlabakanye was prescribed the substance by a medical professional.
- The Lions have taken precautions in case there is bad news for Ntlabakanye at the end of April.
