Professional boxer Zolani Tete receives four-year ban for Anti-Doping Rule Violations
South African professional boxer and former world bantamweight champion Zolani Tete has been banned from all sport for a period of four years following Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) for the Presence and Use of a Prohibited Substance.
On 2 July 2022, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) collected an In-Competition urine Sample from Mr Tete after his fight against Jason Cunningham at the OVO Wembley Arena in London. Analysis of Mr Tete’s Sample returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for stanozolol.
Stanozolol is listed under section S1 of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) 2022 Prohibited List as an anabolic androgenic steroid. It is a non-Specified substance that is prohibited in sport at all times.
On 18 October 2022, the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS), who at that stage had conduct of the case, notified Mr Tete that he may have committed ADRVs in breach of the Anti-Doping Rules and issued him with a Provisional Suspension from all Code-compliant sport.
In January 2023, at Mr Tete’s request, UKAD took over Results Management of the case. On 24 February 2023, UKAD charged Mr Tete with violating Articles 2.1 and 2.2 of the UK Anti-Doping Rules. While admitting the ADRVs, Mr Tete contended that he had not committed the ADRVs intentionally and stated that the presence of stanozolol in his Sample must have been due to contamination.
Mr Tete’s case was heard by the independent National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP) on 24 July 2023. The NADP issued a decision on 9 August 2023 which concluded that Mr Tete had not met the evidential burden necessary to show that his ADRVs were not intentional. The NADP therefore imposed a period of Ineligibility of four years, which is deemed to have commenced on 30 July 2022 and will expire at 11:59pm on 29 July 2026.
Speaking on the case, Hamish Coffey, UKAD Director of Operations said: “All Athletes must follow the Anti-Doping Rules and be responsible for what they put in their body. The consequences of doping are far-reaching and damaging to everyone involved. UKAD will diligently pursue all UK Anti-Doping Rule Violations in order to protect clean sport.”
