Former Springbok hooker Mahlatse ‘Chiliboy’ Ralepelle has lost his appeal against an eight-year doping ban, The South Africa Institute for Drug Free Sport (Saids) confirmed on Thursday.
The 34-year-old tested positive for anabolic steroid Zenarol in January last year ahead of the Sharks Super Rugby campaign and as result was handed an eight year ban as this was his second infringement regarding banned substances.
Ralepelle appealed the decision in July this year alleging that the due process in the gathering and testing of the samples was not followed however he has lost his appeal.
In a statement issued on Thursday morning‚ Saids said the Independent Appeal Panel upheld the original sanction of eight years and his last resort is the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) in Switzerland.
“Mr Ralepelle tested positive for the banned anabolic agent‚ Zeranol‚ during a Sharks rugby training session on the 17th January 2019‚” said the Saids statement.
“The athlete contested the doping charges in front of an Independent Doping Hearing Panel. This panel found the athlete guilty of the doping offence and took into account that it was his second doping offence within a ten-year period. The panel relied on the sanction’s framework in the World Anti-Doping Code that granted them the jurisdiction to hand down an eight-year ban from sport.”