South Africa international Aphiwe Dyantyi banned for four years for doping violation

South Africa international wing Aphiwe Dyantyi has been handed a four-week banfollowing an anti-doping violation.

The 26-year-old was tested positive for three banned substance last year but pleaded guilty of taking them unknowingly claiming that he drank the bottle from his friend during a gym session days before the sample was taken.

However, the three-person panel ruled the hearing against Dyantyi as they felt there were not enough proof to prove his claim and as a result the Lions wing was handed a five-year ban which will run until August 2023.

"The three-person panel accepted the guilty plea of the athlete to the doping charge. They found that the athlete had failed to satisfy the burden of proof to establish that his positive dope test was not intentional," read a statement from South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport.

"Mr Dyantyi is effectively banned from participating in sport from the date of August 13, 2019, when he was provisionally suspended, to August 12, 2023."

Dyantyi has played 13 Tests for the Springboks - all of it coming in 2018 during which he was named the World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year.