SA swimmer, water polo player banned

Cape Town - A South African swimmer and water polo player have been banned after failing drug tests.

Swimmer Louisa de Jongh and water polo player Jabulani Sibiya have both been served with two-year bans by the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS).

FINA released statements on the relatively unknown South African pair:

On April 23, 2016, the water polo player Jabulani Sibiya (RSA) tested positive to the prohibited substance Carboxy-THC (Class S.8 Cannabinoids) following an in-competition doping control test.

The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport imposed a sanction of two (2) years’ ineligibility on the athlete starting on September 26, 2016.

On December 8, 2015, the swimmer Louisa de Jongh (RSA) was tested positive to the prohibited substance Phentermine (Class S.6 Non-Specified Stimulants) following an in-competition doping control test conducted on the occasion of the Western Province Aquatics Championships held in South Africa.

The Judicial Committee of the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport imposed a sanction of two (2) years’ ineligibility on the athlete starting on March 3, 2016.

Phentermine is medically used as an appetite suppressant for short-term use.

According to SwimSwam, 21-year-old De Jongh finished second in the 200m freestyle at the Western Province Championships in December last year.

Her time (2:09.55) would’ve qualified her for the semi-finals, and very nearly the finals, at the South African Olympic trials in April, but she quit during the competition.