Springbok flyhalf Elton Jantjies handed four-year doping ban

Springbok flyhalf and 2019 Rugby World Cup winner Elton Jantjiess, faces the end of his rugby career as it was confirmed on Thursday that he has been handed a four-year ban for testing positive for a prohibited substance.

The 33-year-old tested positive for Clenbuterol, a substance often used by bodybuilders for weight loss and muscle development, in August 2023. Despite initially vowing to prove his innocence, the South African Institute for Drug Free Sport (SAIDS) officially announced the ban on their website.

This recent development adds to the series of setbacks for Jantjies, who served as the understudy to Handre Pollard when South Africa secured its third World Cup victory five years ago in Japan.

In 2022, Jantjies faced legal troubles, being arrested and charged with malicious damage to property during an international flight to Johannesburg. However, the charges were later dropped.

Later that same year, a media report surfaced, alleging that he was involved in an affair with Springbok team dietician Zeenat Simjee. Both Jantjies and Simjee vehemently denied these accusations.

Jantjies, with 46 Test appearances for the Springboks and 335 points scored, has had a diverse playing career, participating in clubs in South Africa, Japan, and, most recently, the French second-tier side Agen.