A Fight that was to take place in Eastern Cape last week was called off after Boxing SA (BSA) officials discovered that a pregnant boxer submitted a falsified pregnancy test so that she could be allowed to enter the ring.
The boxer, 26-year-old Tanzanian Lulu "Tanzanite" Kayenga, fought in Limpopo three weeks ago but the pregnancy was not detected.
Kayenga submitted a handwritten pregnancy test, claiming that she was not pregnant ahead of her fight with Nozwelethu Mathonsi but BSA Eastern Cape manager Phakamile Jacobs became suspicious.
The requirement is that women fighters should always submit authentic results of their pregnancy tests and the alarm bell went off when this was not the case.
Jacobs demanded that Kayenga go to a South African doctor to test. When her tests came back positive, fight promoter Tando Zonke took her to a pathologist for a second opinion. The pathologist confirmed that Kayenga was pregnant and Jacobs called off the fight.
BSA chairperson Muditambi Ravele said testing was the cornerstone of their rules and she commended Jacobs for insisting on following procedure.
"It is sad that this issue is taking centre stage while there are so many positives in our boxing," she said.
"I commend Phakamile Jacobs for a job well done in making sure that he ordered Kayenga for another test when he doubted her documents. My main concern and worry is that the impression is Kayenga was caught elsewhere when she had been declared healthy here."
BSA Gauteng manager Archie Nyingwa was present when Kayenga pulverised Winnie Mphahlele into submission in two rounds at the Thohoyandou Town Hall on August 9 and was stunned when informed about the latest developments yesterday.
"A female fighter can never be allowed in the ring without having done pregnancy tests," said Nyingwa.
"I may not have been party to the actual testing but my female official, Pumeza Zinakile, can vouch for me that tests were conducted.
"That is because I appointed her to be the referee of the fight, so she made sure that all that was done."
Zinakile confirmed that she was indeed part of the testing and that was why the fight in Limpopo was allowed to go ahead.
Pregnant boxer barred from ring
A Fight that was to take place in Eastern Cape last week was called off after Boxing SA (BSA) officials discovered that a pregnant boxer submitted a falsified pregnancy test so that she could be allowed to enter the ring.
The boxer, 26-year-old Tanzanian Lulu "Tanzanite" Kayenga, fought in Limpopo three weeks ago but the pregnancy was not detected.
Kayenga submitted a handwritten pregnancy test, claiming that she was not pregnant ahead of her fight with Nozwelethu Mathonsi but BSA Eastern Cape manager Phakamile Jacobs became suspicious.
The requirement is that women fighters should always submit authentic results of their pregnancy tests and the alarm bell went off when this was not the case.
Jacobs demanded that Kayenga go to a South African doctor to test. When her tests came back positive, fight promoter Tando Zonke took her to a pathologist for a second opinion. The pathologist confirmed that Kayenga was pregnant and Jacobs called off the fight.
BSA chairperson Muditambi Ravele said testing was the cornerstone of their rules and she commended Jacobs for insisting on following procedure.
"It is sad that this issue is taking centre stage while there are so many positives in our boxing," she said.
"I commend Phakamile Jacobs for a job well done in making sure that he ordered Kayenga for another test when he doubted her documents. My main concern and worry is that the impression is Kayenga was caught elsewhere when she had been declared healthy here."
BSA Gauteng manager Archie Nyingwa was present when Kayenga pulverised Winnie Mphahlele into submission in two rounds at the Thohoyandou Town Hall on August 9 and was stunned when informed about the latest developments yesterday.
"A female fighter can never be allowed in the ring without having done pregnancy tests," said Nyingwa.
"I may not have been party to the actual testing but my female official, Pumeza Zinakile, can vouch for me that tests were conducted.
"That is because I appointed her to be the referee of the fight, so she made sure that all that was done."
Zinakile confirmed that she was indeed part of the testing and that was why the fight in Limpopo was allowed to go ahead.
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