facts about Elton Jantjies? South Africa outhalf Elton Jantjies has been given a four-year ban following a positive drugs test. In June 2023, Jantjies tested positive for banned substance Clenbuterol, which can help with weight loss and increase muscle mass. The 33-year-old was provisionally suspended and so missed out on selection for the World Cup in France, where the Springboks successfully defended their title. Jantjies had protested his innocence to the adverse finding, but on Thursday the South African Institute for Drug Free Sport (SAIDS) confirmed no hearing into his case had been held. Jantjies has been capped 46 times and was part of the squad which won the 2019 Rugby World Cup, beating England in the final in Japan. At the time of sanction, Jantjies vowed to prove his innocence as in a statement confirming his positive test for the banned substance. Elton Jantjies, who won the Rugby World Cup in 2019 with South Africa, has been banned for four years after testing positive for a banned substance. The 33-year-old fly-half had previously denied wrongdoing but the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport has confirmed that there had been no hearing. Jantjies last played for Agen in France’s second division. South Africa’s 2019 Rugby World Cup winning fly-half Elton Jantjies has been given a four-year ban after failing a drugs test. The 33-year-old tested positive in June last year for banned substance Clenbuterol, which can be used for body building and to burn fat. Jantjies, who last played for Agen in France, had previously claimed he was innocent but the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport confirmed he had not taken up his right to have a hearing. He is yet to make a comment but his agent Anthony Johnson told South Africa’s Herald newspaper that he is “aware” of the outcome and his legal team are “working on the case”. Jantjies won 46 caps for the Springboks and he has spent most of his club career in his home nation with Stormers and Lions. He missed on selection for last year’s successful World Cup title defence in France. Before the tournament, Jantjies had reacted to the news of his positive test by saying: “It with no small amount of shock and sadness that I have to inform you that I received notification earlier this month, from the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport, that a urine sample I provided in June 2023, returned a positive test for a banned substance, Clenbuterol. “At this stage, I can say little more about the matter, save that I assure all my supporters that I have not and never will deliberately take a banned substance and that I will do everything in my power to prove my innocence,” he wrote in the statement. In 2022, he was arrested for “malicious damage to property” after an incident on an Emirates airlines flight from Dubai to Johannesburg. Elton Thomas Jantjies (born 1 August 1990) is a former South African professional rugby union player for the South Africa national team and Agen in the Pro D2. Jantjies made his professional debut with the Lions during the 2011 Super Rugby season, and his international debut with the Springboks during the inaugural Rugby Championship. He has received several significant sporting awards, including the SARU Young Player of the Year award (2010), and the SA U20 Player of the Year award (2010). In June 2014 it was reported that Jantjies had signed a contract with Japanese side NTT Communications Shining Arcs who play in the Top League. This move meant that he was ruled out for the Currie Cup competition in 2014. The fly-half tested positive for the substance Clenbuterol which is a banned substance and subsequently received a 4-year ban from rugby, ultimately ending his career in a swarm of controversies. Domestic career Golden Lions: 2011–14 Jantjies gained a reputation as being a clutch performer after he successfully converted every goal attempt in the 2011 Currie Cup final, a match in which the Golden Lions defeated the Sharks 42–16. This performance earned him the Man of the Match award. Super Rugby: 2011–2020 Jantjies made his Super Rugby debut in 2011 for the Lions. He joined the Stormers for the 2013 season on a loan deal after the Lions were relegated from the South African conference. His stint with the Stormers was largely unsuccessful compared to the previous season with the Lions where he had an 86% goal-kicking success rate.[1] He returned to the Lions who had won promotion back to the Super Rugby competition. Jantjies reached the finals with the Lions in both 2016 where the Lions lost to the Hurricanes in Wellington and 2017 where they lost to the Crusaders at their home crowd in Johannesburg, playing a huge part in getting them there. Jantjies was also the highest points scorer in the competition in 2017, scoring 203 points that season. International career Jantjies made his international rugby test debut for the South Africa national rugby union team during the inaugural Rugby Championship against Australia on 29 September 2012, at Loftus Versfeld, however his debut for the Springboks came in a non-test, uncapped game against the Barbarians in the 2010 end-of-year tests. Jantjies was named in South Africa’s squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.[2] South Africa went on to win the tournament, defeating England in the final.[3] International tries As of 15 June 2023. Try Opponent Location Venue Competition Date Result 1 France Durban, South Africa Kings Park Stadium 2017 France tour of South Africa 17 June 2017 Win 37–15 2 Argentina Salta, Argentina Padre Ernesto Stadium 2017 Rugby Championship 26 August 2017 Win 23–41 Personal life He is the older brother of fly-half Tony Jantjies.[4] Weeks before he joined the Stormers, his father Thomas Jantjies died in hospital after being stung by a bee.[5] In previous interviews, Jantjies had described his father as his mentor and kicking coach.[6] Jantjies was suspended from the Springboks squad in September 2022 while in Buenos Aires after allegations surfaced of inappropriate behaviour with Zeenat Simjee, the Springboks dietician. It was reported that he spent a night away from the team at a separate hotel during the test series against New Zealand (a highly unusual practice for athletes) where patrons allegedly heard the two having sexual encounters and then arguing. He left without paying the hotel bill, only paying the outstanding charges weeks later. Jantjies is married to Iva Ristic, who is the mother of his 3 children. The Springbok press release on 11 September 2022 stated: “The Springboks management are aware of reports regarding Springbok flyhalf Elton Jantjies and a team dietician. No team protocols were breached, but the individuals are returning to South Africa to attend to these personal reports and to eliminate any distractions to the team’s preparations for the Test against Argentina.” Further Controversies In May 2022, it was reported that Janties had been arrested at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, following his reported behaviour on a Emirates Airline flight from Dubai to Johannesburg. He is reported as having: ‘… spent 10 minutes banging on the toilet door of an Emirates Airlines flight from Dubai until his fists bled. A fellow passenger alleges that Jantjies could be heard saying “Komaan, my skat (Come on, my darling)”, to an air hostess hiding in the cubicle.’ In August 2023, Jantjies was suspended from playing rugby professionally as a result of a finding that he had used a prohibited substance, Clenbuterol. His suspension was replaced with a four-year ban on 18 January 2024