It’s not easy being a professional athlete, especially when you’re recovering from a nasty injury and just want to get back on the field doing what you love. That being said there are no excuses for doping, something former Springbok hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle has just learnt the hard way.

World Rugby has handed the hooker a two-year ban following a positive test for an anabolic steroid from a test in March of last year. Chiliboy was injured at the time and recovering from an operation on his anterior cruciate ligament  Sport24 reports:

The analysis of the sample returned a positive test for a metabolite of an anabolic steroid, drostanolone…

Following the positive test, Ralepelle was provisionally suspended and through his legal representatives requested additional time to conduct confidential enquiries in order to prepare his defence…

In considering all aspects of the case, the [ World Rugby Judicial] committee found Ralepelle to have committed an anti-doping rule violation.

The committee imposed a two-year suspension.

Chiliboy has opted not to appeal that finding, meaning due to the back-dated nature of the suspension he can resume his ruby career as soon as April 10, 2016.

At least it wasn’t diet pills given to him by his mother a la Shane Warne – that has to be the most embarrassing doping suspension of all time. Maybe Chiliboy can spend some of his time off familiarising himself with the rules and regulations laid out by the World Anti-Doping Code, it would be time well spent.

[source:sport24]