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Ntshumayelo's appeal 'fatally prejudiced'

Cape Town - The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) claim that Thandani Ntshumayelo's lawyers have 'fatally prejudiced' the midfielder by making their allegations about the player's drug ban public.

The 26-year-old was convicted by SAIDS for using cocaine after pleading guilty, and was subsequently banned from football for four years.

The player's lawyers consequently took to the media saying that his ban should be overturned, claiming that the University of Free State laboratory that conducted his test was operating below World Anti-Doping Agency standards. 

However, SAIDS have since hit back and claimed that 'Bibo's' appeal is now 'fatally prejudiced' due to the action of his laywers in making the allegations public.

In addition, the organisation say that the player's failure to appeal before 14 September has all but put an end to his chances of his sentence either being overturned or reduced.

Part of the statement said, "To the extent that any further defamatory comment is published about SAIDS this will need to be dealt with via the appropriate legal channels in due course. 

"It is important to say, publicly, that in deciding to treat this matter as an opportunity to litigate in the media, the attorneys for Mr. Ntshumayelo have not only misrepresented the facts, they have also failed to bring an appeal as required by the rules and law. By doing so they have, on their own version, fatally prejudiced him."

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