Posted: July 22, 2005

Athletics: Sepeng Will “Continue Fighting” Drug Test Result

From David Monti

© 2005 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

By Riel Hauman

Hezekiel Sepeng’s career is hanging by a thread, but the South African record holder for the 800 metres has vowed to continue to fight to clear his name. Sepeng’s B sample was tested for the second time last week in Barcelona and turned out a positve result – as did the A sample in February.

Sepeng said he was not guilty of taking the steroid norandrosterone and that he will keep on “fighting” until he has proven his innocence. Jean Verster, Sepeng’s coach, said: “We all know that Hezekiel is not the type of person who will [take drugs]. We do not have all the answers we want yet and will continue investigating the matter.”

Athletics South Africa will hold a hearing before the end of September. “The reason why everything took so long,” said Linda Ferns, ASA’s General Manager, “was that the IAAF had to be very sure that it followed the correct procedures, otherwise legal action may be taken against it.”

When Sepeng’s B sample was tested the first time, it did not show clear evidence to back up the positive result of the A sample test. The Sepeng camp wanted to use this inconclusive result to overturn his suspension, but according to the rules of WADA the B sample could then be re-tested. When this was done in Barcelona, there was no doubt about the positive result.

Sepeng’s lawyer, Japie van Zyl, said that they are waiting on the official results of the tests before they decide what to do.

Sepeng, 31, won the silver medal in the 800 at the Atlanta Olympics and set the current South African record of 1:42.69 in 1999.