DURBAN - Former Springbok and Sharks hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle’s rugby career is effectively over, and that of current Bok Aphiwe Dyantyi could be seriously stalled when he soon faces disciplinary proceedings for alleged use of anabolic steroids.
The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (Saids) on Wednesday handed the 33-year-old Ralepelle an eight-year suspension (after his third offence in 10 years), and also revealed that Dyantyi, the 2018 World Rugby breakthrough player, will have a “virtual hearing” within the next two months after both his A and B samples tested positive for banned substances methandienone, methyltestosterone and LGD-4033.
“We have to develop a procedure and protocol for a virtual hearing and then the athlete his counsel and the arbitrating panel have to agree because this virtual hearing is a new thing,” said Khalid Galant, the chief executive of Saids.
“We can’t just say we are going to have a virtual hearing - we have to give the parties the right to accept it or decline it and make sure that witnesses are not compromised, but we are probably going to do it within the next two months.”
Dyantyi tested positive a year ago while part of the Springbok camp ahead of the Rugby World Cup, which he missed as a consequence. The winger has protested his innocence and submitted supplements he had been taking to Saids for testing.
Galant said the closure of laboratories because of the lockdown had delayed Dyantyi’s hearing because the supplements could not be analysed.
Meanwhile, Ralepelle has 21 days in which to appeal against the ban.
Chiliboy Ralepelle training during 2017 Rugby Championship in South Africa. Picture: Muzi Ntombela BackpagePix
“The athlete challenged the doping charge and was afforded the opportunity to seek legal counsel to present his case and version of events to the tribunal panel,” Galant said.
Ten years ago Ralepelle was sent home from Edinburgh during the Springboks’ end-of-year tour after testing positive for the diet supplement, methylhexanamine, as did wing Bjorn Basson at the same time.
In 2014, the hooker was banned for two years and had his contract at Toulouse terminated after testing positive for anabolic steroid drostanolone.
When Ralepelle’s ban expired in 2016, the Sharks gave him a lifeline and he played 35 Super Rugby games before testing positive for an anabolic steroid when Saids paid an unexpected visit to the Sharks during their pre-season training in January 2019.