Thomas ‘Tommy Gun’ Oosthuizen’s four-year ban by the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) has been kept under wraps since the boxer was banned after an independent panel found him guilty of an anti-doping violation following his fight against Malawian Limbani Lano in a 5th Element Promotions tournament in Hammanskraal in October 2022.
In June last year, the independent panel, which was chaired by former chief executive officer of the South African Football Association (SAFA) Raymond Hack, found Oosthuizen guilty of evading, refusing or failing to submit to sample collection by an athlete and ruled that he be banned.
According to the independent panel, the 35-year-old Oosthuizen submitted two invalid urine samples and thereafter allegedly failed to produce an additional third (valid) sample upon request. The invalid samples were sent to the South African Doping Control Laboratory (SADoCoL) in Bloemfontein where they were analysed in accordance with international standard for laboratories.
SADoCoL reported later that no probihited substances, methods or their metabolites or markers on the test menu were detected in either sample. However, SADoCoL found that the samples were invalid and that the testing authority should consider collecting a new sample from Oosthuizen for testing.
It emerged during the hearing that Oosthuizen had asked doping control officer Hilton Mitileni to conduct a third test on him after he had eaten dinner with his wife Jannita Lucille Gouws better known as Jani Hebler, the promoter of the tournament where he defeated Lano.
The independent panel’s report said: “It was further evident that Mrs Jani Hebler, who acted as the third party and manager on behalf of the respondent on the night of the event, had no knowledge whatsoever of anti-doping procedures, and had imposed herself on both the doping control officers and the respondent by way of her conduct, which in the opinion of the panel was detrimental to the respondent whether directly or indirectly which led to the respondent having the uneviable task of serving two masters – either his wife or complying with his duty as an athlete to comply to the provisions of the anti-doping rules.”
Contracted for comment, acting Boxing South Africa (BSA) chief executive officer Mandla Ntlanganiso said: “We received correspondence from SAIDS this week. We are yet to sit down and discuss it.”
Meanwhile, Hebler was not available for comment as her phone rang unanswered.
