Springbok handed 18-month ban for doping offence
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Banned.
South African rugby has been rocked after Springbok prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye was handed an 18-month doping ban.
The 27-year-old Lions front rower was informed of the suspension by the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS), with the ban officially beginning on May 13, 2026.
In a statement released on Thursday, the Lions confirmed they would now “deliberate on the appropriate next steps” alongside MyPlayers, South Africa’s rugby players’ organisation.
Ntlabakanye was originally flagged following random testing in 2025, with SAIDS charging the prop with two anti-doping rule violations. One related to the substance anastrozole, while the second involved DHEA, which is considered performance-enhancing.
SARU had previously defended the player publicly, stating that anastrozole had been prescribed “for medical reasons” by a specialist physician and was taken under medical supervision. They also claimed Ntlabakanye had been “transparent in his declarations” throughout the process.
The case has hung over the prop for months, despite him continuing to play for both the Lions and the Springboks while awaiting the outcome of the hearing. He even featured recently against Leinster Rugby in the URC and earned caps for South Africa during the 2025 international window.
The suspension will keep Ntlabakanye sidelined until November 2027, which could effectively end his hopes of featuring at the Rugby World Cup, with the final scheduled for the very same day his ban expires.
