MOHLOLI MAHLALA of Pretoria, four-time gold medallist in the Comrades and Russian’s Viktor Zhdanov who finished runner-up in the marathon were named by Athletics South Africa on Wednesday as testing positive for the use of banned substances in the KwaZulu Natal classic from Pietermaritzburg to Durban on June 16. Athletics Gauteng North’s Mahlala, who finished sixth in 5:37:12 in the colours of Ritmeester AC, has been suspended with immediate effect, pending an explanation from him. Mahlala tested positive for the steroid 19 Norandrosterone, a metabolite of Nandrolone. Zhdanov, who came from well in depth in the final 12km of the race to finish second behind Jaroslaw Janicki of Poland, has tested positive for the stimulant Ephedrine. Athletics South Africa said that the IAAF will advise the Russian Federation accordingly.