The South African Rugby Union (SARU) announced on Monday that the ‘B’ samples from winger Bjorn Basson and hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle confirmed the presence of a banned stimulant during their tour of Britain and Ireland.
After their match against Ireland, in which the Springboks triumphed 23-21 in Dublin last month, Basson and Ralepelle both failed random doping tests for methylhexaneamine. During this tour, they also achieved victories against Wales and England but faced a loss to Scotland.
According to a statement from the union, a tribunal will investigate the matter, with a hearing date and member names to be announced next year following the completion of investigations.
The Springboks maintain their innocence, expressing being “disappointed and shocked” by the positive tests, with potential penalties ranging from a warning to a two-year suspension.
SARU has confirmed that neither player will contest the testing procedure, as they were informed that the ‘B’ samples corresponded with the initial random test results.
Officials from South Africa suspect that a nutritional supplement consumed by all players during the five-week tour may have led to the positive findings, and its use will likely be examined throughout the investigation.
Basson, set to join Super 14 champions the Bulls next season from Griqualand West, played against Ireland and Wales after first-choice player JP Pietersen was sidelined due to injury.
Ralepelle, seen as a future potential captain for the national team, has served as an understudy to current captain and hooker John Smit for several years, despite not being the top choice at the Bulls.
Buford Balony says: What a surprise, we all know South Africans are bad sports & cheats.