Africa-Press – South-Africa. SA Rugby has strongly denied allegations of substance abuse and that any of the Springboks produced a positive drug tests, which have been circulating in the media on Saturday.
The Springboks, who play Argentina in the Rugby Championship in Buenos Aires on Saturday evening, have been under pressure after reports of flyhalf Elton Jantjies and team dietician Zeenat Simjee returning home to ‘deal with personal reports’ emanating from incidents that allegedly took place when the Boks were in Mbombela.
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Online platform Sarugbymag reported that SA Rugby sought to quash a story that was going to report on recreational drug use and positive tests in the Bok camp.
In a strongly worded statement, SA Rugby said the allegations have already surfaced on an online platform ‘despite the absence of any evidence to support them’.
“SA Rugby has consistently advised all inquiring media that no such reports have been received by SA Rugby or any player from the only authority permitted to perform such tests, the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport. SA Rugby does not conduct its own tests,” the statement said.
“Despite the absence of any such reports, players and management in Argentina have been contacted to ‘tell their story’, distracting and destabilising the entire camp in the build-up today’s Test against Argentina in Buenos Aires.
“SA Rugby wishes to repeat that it has no evidence of any adverse analytical findings for any kind of drug – be it performance enhancing or recreational – by Springbok players and regards the publication or the threat to publish such allegations as a deliberate attempt to sabotage the team’s preparations.”
Kick-off on Saturday is at 21:10 SA time.
The statement in full:
SA Rugby is aware that unsubstantiated allegations of failed tests for recreational drugs by Springbok players are circulating among members of the media.
Disappointingly, these allegations have already appeared online despite the absence of any evidence to support them.
SA Rugby has consistently advised all inquiring media that no such reports have been received by SA Rugby or any player from the only authority permitted to perform such tests, the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport. SA Rugby does not conduct its own tests.
Despite the absence of any such reports, players and management in Argentina have been contacted to “tell their story”, distracting and destabilising the entire camp in the build-up of today’s Test against Argentina in Buenos Aires.
SA Rugby wishes to repeat that it has no evidence of any adverse analytical findings for any kind of drug – be it performance enhancing or recreational – by Springbok players and regards the publication or the threat to publish such allegations as a deliberate attempt to sabotage the team’s preparations.
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