By Linda Ximba
Former world boxing champion Zolani “Last Born” Tete is facing tough sanctions, including a four-year ban, for using performance-enhancing drugs.
The Eastern Cape boxer initially tested positive for his A-sample following his fourth round stoppage win over Briton Jason Cunningham at the OVO Arena in London in July last year.
He made the South African boxing fraternity proud when he came back home with the Commonwealth, International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Organisation (WBO) International junior-featherweight titles.
But later stanozolol, a banned muscle-cutting agent, was detected in his urine. It’s a performance-enhancing steroid that was first banned in sport in 1974.
Tete’s management requested a B-sample test which has also come back positive, shattering any hopes for the talented southpaw to continue earning a living through boxing.
His manager Mlamuleli Tengimfene, sounding dejected, shared the latest news with Scrolla.Africa.
“It is with deep regret and sorrow that we inform you that the results of the B-sample confirmed the same thing as those of the A-sample,” said Tengimfene.
He said they have done everything to check the source.
“We started here at our team and found nothing untoward. As of now, there’s nothing we can do,” he said.
“Zolani has to face the consequences.”
After the first test results in November, Boxing South Africa moved swiftly to suspend the former IBF junior-bantamweight and WBO bantamweight champion’s licence.
With Tete approaching 35 years in March this year, a four-year ban could spell the end of his once illustrious boxing career.
Pictured above: Zolani Tete
Image source: @FrankWarren
