The increasing commercialisation of schoolboy rugby is driving some young players towards banned substances.
That’s according to South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport CEO Khalid Galant.
His warning comes after former SA Schools A prop Deon Botes received a four-year ban for a positive test for metabolites of nandrolone, an anabolic androgenic steroid.
Junior Boks prop Kai Pratt has also requested that his B-sample be tested after his A-sample returned positive for an anabolic steroid, while former Grey College pupil Liam Santos recently received a three-year ban.
Galant believes the high stakes attached to schoolboy rugby have intensified the pressure on aspiring professionals.
“When you’re at Craven Week and walk around the sidelines, there are scouts from the local and foreign franchises,” he told News24.
“You can just look at how many South African players are in action for the United Rugby Championship teams, and the bulk of them were scouted through Craven Week.
“The stakes are extremely high, and they’re getting even higher, alongside the increasing commercial component of schools’ sport.
“But when sport gets lucrative … there will be the ones who take shortcuts and cheat to get to the accolades.”
ALSO: Trust cost Asenathi in doping case
Despite the recent cases, Galant urged against overreacting.
“You asked if we should raise the alarm, and we did more than 100 tests at Craven Week, and there were two positives,” he said.
Photo: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images
The post Saids sounds alarm over schoolboy doping appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Saids CEO Khalid Galant says the increasing commercialisation of schoolboy rugby is driving some young players towards banned substances.
The post Saids sounds alarm over schoolboy doping appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
