Sport

[WATCH] Hero to zero: Team SA gold to be stripped

Ashfak Mohamed|Published

Sprinter Thando Dlodlo (far left) will be out of action until December 28, 2023.

Team South Africa’s World Relays 4x100m gold medal looks set to be stripped in a doping scandal.

Fans in Mzansi celebrated last year’s amazing win at the in Silesia event in Poland last May, but that victory is now hollow.

That became a reality after sprinter Thando Dlodlo was handed a ban of two years and six months for “testosterone and its related compounds”, according to the South African Institute for Drug Free Sport (Saids) website.

BANNED: Thando Dlodlo

Saids noted on their list of athletes’ violations that Dlodlo had the “presence of a prohibited substance or its metabolites or makers in an athlete’s sample”.

The 22-year-old Tuks athlete had run the opening leg of the epic World Relays 4x100m final in Silesia, Poland last May, with Gift Leotlela following up in the second 100m, before Clarence Munyai grabbed the baton.

In a remarkable finish, sprint ace Akani Simbine dipped on the line to clinch victory in 38.71 seconds, ahead of Brazil in 38.72.

The South Americans were soon disqualified, though, for a technical infringement, along with third-placed Ghana, which saw Italy claim second spot and Japan third.

Now, with South Africa set to be stripped of their gold medal, Italy should be upgraded to first place, which means Olympic 100m champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs can claim another title.

Japan will then move up to a silver and Denmark a bronze.

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