Lions and Springbok wing Aphiwe Dyantyi has been banned from playing rugby until August 12, 2023 – two weeks before his 29th birthday.
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In 2019, just prior to the Springboks departing for the Rugby World Cup, news broke that a sample taken from Dyantyi following a training camp had returned a positive test for three banned substances: methanedienone, methyltestosterone and LGD-4033.
HEARING WAS DELAYED DUE TO COVID-19
His hearing was supposed to have been held in May this year, but the process was delayed due to Covid-19.
It finally started in mid-September and concluded in early November.
On Friday, the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) suspended the 26-year-old for a period of four years according to regulation 21 of World Rugby’s rules.
While SAIDS has not yet officially announced his sentence, Rapport newspaper is in possession of the electronic letter sent to Dyantyi to inform him of it.
Dyantyi’s agent, Gert van der Merwe, told Rapport that they were shocked by the result.
‘The verdict just makes no sense,’ he said.
‘I have yet to read the full verdict. The legal team and I will analyse the verdict next week and decide whether we will appeal.
‘If it is up to me, we will definitely appeal. The problem is that it is going to cost a lot of money. Aphiwe last received a salary 18 months ago. We are now looking at what we can do.
‘I believe this is the wrong verdict. Aphiwe can’t believe it either. We were getting ready to start playing again.’
Dyantyi has played 13 Tests for the Springboks to date.
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