Asenathi Ntlabakanye: Springboks Prop Eligible for Selection Despite Doping Test Finding

• Springbok's promising star has been excluded from the squad for the Rugby Championship tour of New Zealand
• The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport stressed that the front-rower remained eligible for selection
• SA Rugby confirmed a violation and defended its decision to omit him from the travelling team

Springboks prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye, who was ruled out of the tour of New Zealand after failing a doping test, could have been part of the squad for the Rugby Championship.

The Boks are currently in New Zealand, where they will play two matches on 6 and 13 September as they look to defend the title they won last season.

The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport Chief Executive Officer, Khalid Galant, confirmed that Ntlabakanye was eligible for selection despite providing an “adverse analytical finding” during random testing.

However, the prop was omitted from the squad named by coach Rassie Erasmus following the failed test. SA Rugby announced on Sunday, 24 August, that he had committed an anti-doping violation.

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What did South African Rugby say?

In its statement, SA Rugby said the non-performance-enhancing substance, for which Ntlabakanye tested positive, had been prescribed by a specialist physician early in 2025 for medical reasons.

The substance was taken with the approval and supervision of a medical doctor specifically appointed to manage the medical affairs of professional rugby players.

The statement added that Ntlabakanye had been transparent in his declarations, had acted in good faith, and had followed the prescribed medical processes at all times.

It noted that the player had relied on professional medical advice and had never sought to gain an unfair advantage or taken any substance without prior medical authorisation.

See the tweet below:

Decision to omit player from squad made by SA Rugby

According to Galant, Ntlabakanye’s exclusion from the squad was purely a SARU decision. He clarified that the player had not been provisionally suspended under anti-doping rules. Ntlabakanye, who made his Springbok debut against Italy in July, is expected to appear before a disciplinary panel in the coming days.

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As seen in the tweet below:

Galant declined to disclose the banned substance found in the prop’s test. Responding through his management team, Ntlabakanye said he had always played the game with respect and integrity.

Erasmus retained faith in the players who featured in the opening Castle Lager Rugby Championship matches against Australia. The Boks lost 38-22 to the Wallabies in Ellis Park stadium but bounced back with a 30-22 win in Cape Town at DHL Stadium on 23 August.

Springboks receive hero’s welcome in New Zealand

Briefly News previously reported that South Africa’s national rugby team, the Springboks, were greeted by enthusiastic supporters in Auckland, New Zealand, ahead of their upcoming Rugby Championship fixtures against the All Blacks.

Boks captain Siya Kolisi led the squad as they arrived in the city to a crowd of South African expatriates, many waving national flags and wearing Springbok merchandise.

Source: Briefly News