Rassie Erasmus does not believe tighthead prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye knowingly took a banned substance and is hoping for the “right result”.
Ntlabakanye is due to present his case at the end of March after his initial hearing, scheduled for December, was postponed to allow both his legal team and the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (Saids) additional time to prepare.
The Lions star, who has earned three Springbok caps, faces a possible suspension following a positive test for a banned substance, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), in July last year.
“I’m nervous for him,” Erasmus told Rapport while speaking in Cape Town this week. “But that’s the kind of thing we, as the Springboks, are not directly involved in. We will support him as far as we can and just hope the right story comes out with the right result.”
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The postponement meant Ntlabakanye was not provisionally suspended and remained eligible to play, with the substance in question not falling into a category that triggers an automatic ban under Saids regulations. He started for the Lions in their Vodacom URC derby against the Bulls at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Erasmus was careful not to make any judgements about the case but said.
“He worked incredibly hard and I enjoy him as a person. I don’t think he intentionally did anything wrong. In saying that, I’m not making any judgements about anything. I just hope he comes out on the right side of it.”
It has been indicated that the medication involved was prescribed by a medical doctor following a referral to an endocrinologist to treat an underlying condition, which may be considered in mitigation.
Photo: Franco Arland/Gallo Images
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