SA bronze medallist Lucas Sithole: I never took any illegal substances

Sithole, alongside Donald Ramphadi, recently won Africa’s first-ever medal in Wheelchair Tennis at the Paralympic Games held in Paris.

The 37-year-old was banned by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) from participating in any sport under the Anti-Doping Rule Violation of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme for two years, from 30 September 2019 to 30 September 2021.

Tennis players under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programmes rules are required to avail themselves for one hour every day to allow for random out-of-competition tests. 

But, speaking to Victor Molefe on Prime Time Sports on Ukhozi FM, Sithole says people erroneously assumed he was taking illegal substances.

"A lot of people thought I was on drugs and I have never failed a drug test. I've been playing wheelchair tennis for 21 years, and I've never tested positive," said Sithole.

"I've never been on drugs, I don't even know how drugs smell. I only see them on social media since people post everything now.

"So, what happened was they came to my former coach’s house because I was staying with him after wheelchair tennis and Tennis SA were merged to be one organisation. 

"We then lost our sports house as wheelchair tennis players, where we used to stay and train – that centre was not suitable for us to train. 

"So, whenever they came to my coach's house for a random test I wasn't home, I had family emergencies so I was travelling a lot to Newcastle [his home in KwaZulu-Natal]. Even when I explained to them what was happening, they didn't understand.

"I was banned for two years. I think they thought I was probably running away from doing the tests. Even before they gave me a ban, they actually called me and tested me, and the results were negative. I've never had a positive drug test."

The 2013 US Open Champion will celebrate his bronze medal win back, in partnership with a Non-Profit Company called Nyatee Foundation – which also funded his preparations for the Paralympics and bought him a brand new car, back in KZN next week.

"I met Bab' Nyathi and he was keen to help me with my preparations. He funded my three-week training camp and also brought back my former coach, Holger Losch, who led me to win the US Open in 2013," he added.

"We hadn't worked together in four years and he was also very sad about my ban, but we kept in touch. So, when Nyatee Foundation came on board, they paid for everything. 

"A day before the Paralympics they gave me a brand new Mercedes. So, that gave me hope because I lost a lot because of the ban. 

"Even people I used to help, abandoned me – even those who were the reason why I got banned because I left the coach's house to go and help them."

READ: Team SA wheelchair tennis duo relieved after bronze medal achievement