No doping tests for athletes
Two athletes who set South African records at the South African Schools Athletics (SASA) championships at the Peter Mokaba Stadium last week, could have lost out on official recognition of their records because the necessary doping tests were not available.
POLOKWANE – Two athletes who set South African records at the South African Schools Athletics (SASA) championships at the Peter Mokaba Stadium last week, could have lost out on official recognition of their records because the necessary doping tests were not available.
Athletes who set records need to be tested for possible substance abuse before their records are recognised.
A local doctor was called to the stadium to conduct a doping test after the first record was broken by an u/15 learner in the 100 m last Thursday. Upon arriving at the stadium he was told that his services would no longer be needed, as there were no doping tests available for him to administer.
Review spoke to SASA chairperson, Willina Mokatsanyane, on Tuesday and he said both learners who set records were tested last Friday. He said he could not reveal the names of these athletes as SASA was still waiting for the results, which had been sent to Cape Town.
Asked why the organisation did not have doping tests available on site, he said they thought they could get some tests from Pretoria quickly if a record was broken at the event. However, they had to get the tests from Cape Town, a day after the first record was broken. “We operate on a shoestring budget,” he said.
Mokatsanyane said immediately after an athlete had participated in an event the athlete was supposed to be taken from the track by officials and the test performed. In this case one of the athletes participated the day before the test was done.
Mokatsanyane assured Review that the athlete was accompanied by an official at all times, “even when sleeping or going to the bathroom”.
