Springbok dope-case pair cleared
Springbok dope-case duo Bjorn Basson and Chiliboy Ralepelle were cleared on Friday to play again by a South African Rugby Union (SARU) judicial committee.
Winger Basson and hooker Ralepelle were suspended last November after testing positive for the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine during a tour of Ireland and Britain.
A SARU statement said a committee comprising two lawyers and a doctor found the stimulant was in a supplement given to the Springboks ahead of a Test against Ireland in Dublin.
"Finally the facts are out there and people can see that we are not guilty and are not doping cheats," said Ralepelle, speaking on behalf of both Springboks.
"We were only doing what the vast majority of professional rugby players around the world do by using a supplement.
"Bjorn and I were the unlucky ones to be tested and had to go through the trauma of the past two-and-a-half months."
SARU chief executive Jurie Roux said: "This verdict completely quashes any idea that either the players or the team were guilty of any attempt to cheat. No responsibility attaches to the players at all.
"The banned stimulant was in a supplement given to the players in a warm-up before the Test against Ireland and is a product that has been used by the Springboks before without any adverse analytical findings.
"I am most sorry that the players have had to endure the stress and stigma attached to a failed dope test. Hopefully this verdict will have laid to rest any idea of any wrongdoing on their part."
Methylhexaneamine is found in foodstuffs, medicines like nasal decongestants and dietary supplements and can boost the heart rate of an athlete.
The outcome frees Basson and Ralepelle to play for Pretoria-based title holders Northern Bulls in the upcoming Super Rugby season, which kicks off in mid-February.
And they can be considered for selection by the Springboks, who launch their defence of the Rugby World Cup against Wales on September 11 in New Zealand city Wellington.
Basson scored 21 tries for unfashionable Currie Cup team Griqualand West last season to break the 21-year-old record of former Springbok wing wizard Carel du Plessis.
Ralepelle has been an understudy to Springbok captain John Smit for several seasons and became the first black player to captain the national team when he led the tourists out against Leicester two years ago.
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