SA to lose World Relays gold after doping bust

SA will be stripped of its World Relays gold medal after one member of the 4x100m team was handed a two year and six months ban for doping.

This is the first time the country has lost a podium spot at a major athletics meet.

Thando Dlodlo, who started the relay, tested positive for testosterone at the SA championships in Pretoria a few weeks before. It is believed his B-sample was also positive.

Sprint star Akani Simbine delivered a powerful run at the death to claim the victory, but he, teammates Gift Leotlela and Clarence Munyai as well as Dlodlo will have to return their medals, said a well-placed source.

TimesLIVE understands the prize money had been withheld pending the outcome of the case. The penalty was posted on the SA Doping Institute for Drug-Free Sport (Saids) on Tuesday. 

Dlodlo, who competed for Tuks and was considered one of the rising stars of the sprint track, competed until late June last year, finishing second in a 100m race in Switzerland and winning the 200m B-final on the same day.

He was also part of the 4x100m relay team at the 2019 world championships in Doha that clocked the 37.65sec SA record.

Dlodlo also represented SA at the 2019 African championships, winning bronze in the relay and ending eighth in the 100m final.

His best seasons were 2018 and 2019, clocking 10.11 and 10.08.