Future of ex-Boks flyhalf Jantjies in serious doubt after copping four-year ban

Ex-Springbok Elton Jantjies’ rugby career was crash-tackled when he was served a four-year ban for testing positive for the banned substance Clenbuterol, putting a hefty pause on his playing days. 

Despite missing out on the window period available to appeal against the decision of the South African Institute of Drug-Free Sport (Saids), Jantjies has a robust legal team working to unravel the circumstances surrounding the ban that could potentially jeopardise his career. 

The 33-year-old flyhalf, who made headlines for an alleged affair during the national team’s tour of Argentina in 2022, received the ban in December and  Saids publicly released its decision on its website on Monday. 

CEO Khalid Galant said: “The actual decision was made in December and the public disclosure was released on Monday. 

“There exists a gap between the time when our findings are concluded, the subsequent relay of the decision to the athlete and the eventual public release of the information.” 

He said Jantjies, who played 46 Tests for South Africa between 2012 and 2022, had sufficient time to challenge the decision. 

“He opted not to contest the charge, providing no response whatsoever. 

“The window period for him to initiate an appeal has elapsed.” 

According to the results outcome, the date of violation was June 23 2023 with no hearing held .

The anti-doping rule he violated was the “presence of (a) prohibited substance or its metabolites or makers in an athlete’s sample”. 

Jantjies’ agent, Anthony Johnson, said on Thursday his client declined to engage with the media and had instructed his legal team to handle the matter. 

Johnson also said Jantjies was currently abroad. 

A South African Rugby Union spokesperson said they wholly supported clean sport and maintained there was no place in rugby for doping. 

“We have trust in the processes and outcomes followed by the independent anti-doping agencies, whose job it is to support sports in keeping the game clean,” the spokesperson said. 

Jantjies and Springbok team dietitian Zeenat Simjee were sent home from the South African team’s base in Argentina in 2022 as the Springboks were preparing for a crucial Rugby Championship clash against Los Pumas in Buenos Aires. 

They were ordered to return home after reports at the time emerged of a hotel tryst while the Boks were preparing for their match against the All Blacks in Mbombela, which they both denied. 

In a previous statement, Jantjies said he had instructed his legal representation to assist in determining the source of the prohibited substance. 

“It is with no small amount of shock and sadness that I have to inform you I received notification earlier this month, from the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport, that a urine sample  I had provided to them in June returned a positive test for a banned substance, Clenbuterol,” Jantjies said in 2023. 

“I have instructed legal representation to assist me in determining the source of the prohibited substance and I have instructed them to ask for my B sample to be tested and to launch an inquiry into the possible causes for the positive test.” 

Jantjies is not the only Springbok player to have been slapped with a ban. 

Former Springbok Aphiwe Dyantyi, who has represented the Springboks 13 times, tested positive for the banned substances metandienone‚ methyltestosterone and LGD-4033 in 2019. 

Dyantyi’s four-year ban has since expired and he is in the books of the Sharks where he is reviving his career. 

Clenbuterol is on the list of prohibited substances in many sports organisations due to its potential performance-enhancing effects. 

It is considered a banned substance because it can act as a bronchodilator, increasing airflow to the lungs.