Simon Magakwe slapped with two-year doping ban

Leading South African sprinter and 2012 African 100m champion Simon Magakwe has been banned for two years following an unsuccessful out of competition doping test conducted under the authority of the IAAF on December 22, 2014.

A statement by the Athletics South Africa (ASA) on Wednesday stated that the athlete, Simon Magakwe of Athletics North West North has been charged with an anti-doping rule violation under IAAF Rule 32.2 (c)(Refusal/failure to submit to doping control).

According to ASA President Aleck Skhosana, Magakwe did not submit to a test when asked to do so by anti-doping officials at his training base in December last year.

Simon Magakwe, the 2012 African champion, will miss this year’s world championships in Beijing and the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The South Africa’s fastest man was found guilty of the anti-doping rule violation at an IAAF disciplinary hearing conducted on February 19, and as he has not appealed the verdict before the deadline lapsed, he would now start his period of ineligibility.

Simon Magakwe has therefore been suspended from all activities from January 29, 2015 until January 28, 2017.

The 28-year-old is his country’s 100m record-holder, and the only South African to run sub-10 seconds in the 100m when he ran 9.98 at last year’s national championships.