Three Craven Week players slapped with 3-year bans for doping

Three Craven Week players have been slapped with three-year bans for doping violations that occurred during the interprovincial school rugby week last year.

Two of the players in question are Sifiso Magwaza, who played prop for the Lions, and Khoitsimodimo 'Kamo' Mathibedi, who was a hooker for Free State.

The names of the players were released on the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sports (Saids)

Magwaza, who went to Hoerskool Monument in Krugersdorp and was selected for the South Africa Schools team for a one-off game against South Africa Schools A,  tested positive for the presence of Metandienone Metabolite, Metandienone LTM (17β-OH-methyl-17α-methyl-18-nor-androst-1,4,13-triene-3-one at the week that was held at Rondebosch Boy's High School in Cape Town.

With his period of ineligibility being dated to 4 August last year, he didn't feature for the South African Schools teams in their matches against England and France.

He'll be available to play rugby again on 4 August 2025.

Mathibedi, who was the second-team hooker at Grey College with a few appearances for the first team, tested positive for the presence of Metandienone metabolite metandienone LTM (17β-OH-methyl- 17α-methyl-18-nor-androst-1,4,13-triene-3-one).

Mathibedi's period of ineligibility was dated back to 22 August last year, which means his suspension will run until 2025 on the same date.

Another player whose name was redacted because of being a minor tested positive for 19-norandrosterone and has been banned for three years.

One other Varsity Cup player who earned a three-year ban is Andre Gerber, who played for the Nelson Mandela University team.

Gerber was notified of his provisional suspension because of the presence of Oxandrolone Metabolites,