Mamabolo would face a hearing on a doping charge, according to Saids CEO Khalid Galant.

“Now the process to constitute a hearing will proceed and a date will be set where Mamabolo will be afforded the opportunity to defend himself against the charge of doping,” Galant said.

“We have already initiated the process to set the date for a tribunal and Mamabolo and his legal counsel will be informed of the date and venue once it is confirmed.” 

Mamabolo’s A-sample tested positive for the banned stimulant after he won the annual 89km ultra-marathon in Durban last month.

Galant said the analysis of the B-sample had taken place at the SA Doping Control Laboratory in Bloemfontein. Mamabolo was present and witnessed the breaking of the seal of the sample.

It would take approximately three months for a decision to be handed down, according to Saids, but Galant said some cases took longer to conclude due to adjournments or requests to present additional evidence in mitigation.

Mamabolo would hold the right to lodge an appeal against the tribunal decision, if he disagreed with the sanction.

Saids previously reported that an additional Comrades runner had tested positive for a high testosterone level, but further investigation was required to confirm whether the elevated testosterone level was the result of an anti-doping rule violation or a medical condition.

“As per the protocol for testosterone cases, we have to rule out endogenous production of testosterone and any medical abnormality before releasing the athlete’s name,” Galant said.

“The sample has been sent for further analysis to the Doping Control laboratory in Cologne, Germany, and we will be able to determine if the athlete tested positive for testosterone after the Cologne laboratory returns the result.” 

If found guilty of doping, Mamabolo would be the second winner of the annual race to lose his crown.

Charl Mattheus was stripped of the title in 1992 after testing positive for a banned substance. His fellow South African, Jetman Msuthu, who finished second, was awarded the title. Mattheus maintained that he unwittingly took medicine containing a banned substance in the build-up to the race. He returned to win the Comrades title in 1997.

If Mamabolo lost his crown, another South African, Bongmusa Mthembu, who finished second, would become the 2012 Comrades Marathon winner.

Comments

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Fri May 24 13:09:17 SAST 2013 ::

Jul 13, 2012

DjEp

I told you Mamabolo not to take Nyaope before the marathon and you didnt listen look now!
Sad as it may be we cannot do much but support Mamabolo all the way, becuase im sure he was not the only one on the day on drugs most atlhetes were high on drugs. Its only that he was not as lucky as the rest.
Now MommaC come in and tell us more, what will happen from here???
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Jul 13, 2012

Raffmama

I hope this is not a 'limpopo' issue: If is not Caster being subjected to Gender-tests or Ludwick with the Dr@g Tests - it is Juju being expelled!! Please give limpopians some peace - this is very disturbing!!
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Jul 13, 2012

golly459

Feel sorry for the guy, drink everything that you drink that day and get tested again, I think you take that drink unintentionally??
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Jul 13, 2012

dimpho_4U

eish...Ludwick, pelo yaka e bohloko..
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Jul 13, 2012

Idohl

Sad indeed, I was really happy for the guy. Can't they learn to drink only water before such events? Tap water for that matter, not even bottled water.
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Jul 13, 2012

BaleliM

with so many drugs on the market, who knows what we ingest.
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Jul 13, 2012

MGEEZ

Wena Mamabolo; you took 3 months unpaid leave for nothing??? What is the matter with you? Did you think you will get away with this? All our celebration was in vain; you have spoiled the party!!!
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Jul 13, 2012

DjEp

@BaleliM
with so many drugs on the market, who knows what we ingest
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Well said almost everything we ingest has/is some form of drug. That is why nowadays we bore kids with scary anomalities becuase of the stuff we ingest.
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Jul 13, 2012

Rainjase

Eish Mamabolo, but perhaps its a matter of notbeing aware of what we put in our bodies. Tough luck!
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Jul 13, 2012

gaetswe

Comrades Marathon winner Ludwick Mamabolo is in danger of losing his title after his B-sample tested positive for methylhexaneamine
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and masonja are very rich in methylhexaneamine, poor mamabolo
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