RRW: Cape Town Marathon Winner Lindikhaya Mthangayi DQd For Doping; Gets Four-Year Ban

By Riël Hauman
(c) 2014 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
May 24, 2014

The winner of the Cape Town Marathon on September 22 last year, Lindikhaya Mthangayi, has been banned by the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) for a period of four years after testing positive for an anabolic steroid, Methandienone, after the race. Mthangayi, who also returned a positive test four years previously, will only be eligible to compete again after September 21, 2017.

His first place in the Cape Town Marathon has been scrapped and all his results since then have been annulled. The performances in question are (he won all these races except the Gun Run Half-Marathon, where he placed second): October 5 – Cape Gate 10 km, 30:52; October 13 – Gun Run Half-Marathon, 1:04:20; October 19 – Foot of Africa Half-Marathon, 1:09:59; November 3 – Landmarks Half-Marathon, 1:06:22; November 9 – West Coast Half-Marathon, 1:09:28; November 16 – Winelands Half-Marathon, 1:07:54.

Mthangayi, 34, ran a personal best of 2:17:03 in the Cape Town race and earned R20,000 (USD 2034). First place will now go to Paul Manwa (KEN), who clocked 2:17:51, second to Pumlani Nxusani (2:19:07 PB) and third to Siyabonga Makhaluza (2:20:33). All runners behind them move up one position as well.

In 2009 Mthangayi tested positive for the stimulant methylhexaneamine and was banned for six months.