Sarel van der Walt

Pretoria – First he was a Comrades cheat, then a Comrades hero, and now he is quite possibly again a Comrades cheat.

Sergio Motsoeneng (31) finished third in this year’s Comrades Marathon 11 years after he was suspended from the race due to him and his brother running a “relay”.

Now it has been confirmed by Athletics South Africa (ASA) administrative head Richard Stander and Comrades race director Johan van Staden that Motsoeneng has tested positive for the use of an unknown banned substance.

“I’m afraid that if he is found guilty, the chances are good that it will be the end of his athletics career,” said Stander.

“We were informed by ASA of the positive test and the matter is now in their hands,” said Van Staden.

“I know nothing about this,” Motsoeneng said in his response on Thursday.

Should he be found guilty, his gold medal will be given to Peter Muthubi, who finished 11th after Leboka Noto had passed him just outside Kingsmead Stadium to take the last gold medal.

In 2001, Sergio and Arnold Motsoeneng, of Bethlehem in the Eastern Free State, both ran about half the marathon.

Arnold took off his vest inside a mobile toilet and handed it to his brother, who ran the rest of the race.

Sergio finished “eighth”, but the referees became suspicious when some of the front-runners complained that they never saw him pass them.

No proof could be found and the complaints were dismissed. The two brothers owned up when photographs were published showing them wearing their watches on different arms.

They gave poverty as a reason for their dishonesty. The brothers were banned from all athletics for three years and for 10 years from the Comrades, though five years were suspended.

Apart from facing a possible life ban, Sergio Motsoeneng will also lose his gold medal and possible prize money of R90,000 should he be found guilty.

The Comrades Association does not hand over medals and prize money until tests for banned substances have been completed.