Former Springbok hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle's career has effectively been ended after he was given an eight-year ban for doping offences.
The 33-year-old was handed the punishment after testing positive for the banned anabolic agent Zeranol in January of 2019.
The South African Institute for Drug Free Sport say an independent tribunal found no mitigation for how the substance was in Ralepelle's system, and imposed an eight-year suspension.
It's the third time the 25-cap Springbok has tested positive for a banned substance in his career. In 2010 he tested positive for the banned substance methylhexanamine, but did not serve a ban after the case was ruled a "No Fault".
He would go on to serve a two-year suspension from April 2014 to April 2016 after returning a positive result for the substance methylhexanamine.
In a statement, the South African Institute for Drug Free Sport (SAIDS) says: "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.
"The panel reached a decision first on the merits of the case where they found the player guilty of a doping offense.
"(He) had previously tested positive on two separate occasions while playing overseas. The Zeranol positive case was his third positive dope test during his playing career within a 10-year period, however the player’s first positive case was ruled a No Fault decision and he then received a reprimand."
"The panel had to refer to sports jurisprudence to determine the appropriate sanction which they ruled to be the player’s second doping offence," they added.
"The Independent Doping Tribunal Panel ruled that Mr Ralepelle must serve an eight-year ban for doping. The ban will expire on the 27th January 2027. The player has 21 days within which to file an appeal against the sanction."
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