JOHANNESBURG – The South African Institute for Drug-free Sport (Saids) are “ready to go” with their case against Springbok and Lions wing Aphiwe Dyantyi, who was last year charged with using multiple anabolic steroids and metabolites following a random drugs test.
Dyantyi’s representatives and Saids have, however, yet to settle on a date for a hearing, following the winger’s request late last year for an extension to gather additional evidence and information.
“Dyantyi contested the charge and asked for an extension before any hearing could take place, but we are hopeful and optimistic that something might happen by mid-February,” Saids chief executive Khalid Galant confirmed yesterday.
“We are ready to go.”
The 25-year-old Dyantyi, who was named World Rugby’s Breakthrough Player of 2018 following a sensational debut season with the Springboks, was subjected to a random doping test in July last year and subsequently found to have used banned substances.
His B-sample was also tested and returned a positive result.
But even if a date for a hearing is fixed for next month, it is unlikely that the matter will be settled immediately.
Unless Dyantyi pleads guilty and argues for mitigation of sentence - at this stage it being up to a four-year ban from rugby - there could be a number of hearings which could take several months for the case to reach a conclusion.
Meanwhile, in the case involving former Bok hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle, who was found to have also used a banned substance while playing for the Sharks, five different hearings took place throughout 2019 - each one lasting a day - and his case has yet to reach its conclusion.
Galant confirmed Saids were hopeful that Ralepelle’s case would come to an end next month.