Hezekiel Sepeng, South Africa’s 1996 Olympic 800m silver medallist, is fighting to clear his name of doping after testing positive for nandrolone.
Sepeng, who faces a two-year ban if the follow-up test confirms the first result, was tested out of season in his home town of Potchefstroom in February, Athletics South Africa (ASA) said on its website.
Sepeng’s coach, Jean Verster, says Sepeng did not knowingly ingest an illegal substance, but he would not elaborate because of the sensitive nature of the matter.
However, he queried why the authorities waited so long before contacting Sepeng to inform him the sample taken on February 21 had tested positive.
”We can’t say anything yet, but there are a few possible reasons for the positive test,” he said. ”We’ve written a letter to ASA and to the IAAF [International Association of Athletics Federations] in which Hezekiel says that he did not knowingly use any [banned] substances.”
Verster declined to comment on reports that Sepeng could have used contaminated supplements. The British tennis player Greg Rusedski was absolved last year after testing positive for nandrolone. A tribunal found that the ATP had distributed tablets apparently contaminated by banned substances.
”In the meantime, we’re doing a lot of research on the internet about nandrolone and the possible reasons for positive tests,” Verster said.
Nandrolone has also been a talking point in South African rugby.
The two-year ban on Sharks flyhalf Herkie Kruger expired earlier this year, but he is still fighting to clear his name. Former Springbok prop Cobus Visagie also tested positive for nandrolone in 2002. He was banned for two years.
This was later set aside when research indicated the body could over-produce nandrolone in some circumstances, particularly if the subject has eaten large quantities of meat contaminated with the substance.
Nandrolone is known commercially as Deca-Durabolin and is a steroid administered by injection.
A United Kingdom government report on nandrolone said: ”We recommend that the sports community should be reminded they must maintain a high level of awareness of the possible hazards of using some nutritional supplements and herbal preparations,” reported the British Broadcasting Corporation’s website. — Sapa-AFP