South Africa has seen a dramatic drop in rugby drug testing over the past decade, despite producing the highest number of convicted dopers in the global game.
Figures published by the World Anti-Doping Agency show tests conducted by the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (Saids) fell from 785 in 2015 to just 127 in 2024 – a sixfold decrease.
Over the same period, UK Anti-Doping increased its rugby testing from 998 to 1,241.
The decline comes during a golden era for the Springboks, who won back-to-back World Cups in 2019 and 2023. Yet South Africa has recorded 89 doping violations in rugby in that time, which is around 20% of the worldwide total.
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High-profile cases have included 2019 World Cup winners S’busiso Nkosi and Elton Jantjies, banned in 2024 for three and four years respectively. Former Bok wing Aphiwe Dyantyi was banned for four years in 2019, while current Springbok prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye is facing two charges after a failed test. He has denied wrongdoing and has not been provisionally suspended.
Sports scientist Ross Tucker described the drop in testing as “not good”, adding: “It’s a shame because there was a time – 10, 15 years ago – when the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport was really aggressive with its testing and it was on the front foot.”
Saids CEO Khalid Galant blamed funding pressures and the suspension of South Africa’s Wada-accredited laboratory, which has forced samples to be sent overseas at greater cost. He admitted rugby’s reduced share of total testing was “not ideal”.
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A World Rugby spokesperson said: “South African players, alongside many other nations, will be in our testing pool so we test them all year round, including out of competition. Our out-of-competition testing includes home visits.
“Players will also be tested by us at Rugby World Cup, European Professional Club Rugby competitions if they play in them and as part of [what was] the autumn international series.
“Lab issues in South Africa have occurred before and where we face those issues in that country or any other, samples are shipped overseas, which is established and acceptable, provided shipment follows Wada guidelines,” the spokesperson said.
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