Hendre Stassen playing for the Junior Springboks. Photo: BackpagePix
Former Junior Bok Stassen serving doping ban: I’m innocent!
Former Bulls and SA U20 player Hendre Stassen says he has spent more than R5 million to fight his four-year suspension for alleged doping.
Hendre Stassen playing for the Junior Springboks. Photo: BackpagePix
In September 2019, Stassen was officially released from his contract with French club Stade Français after testing positive for a banned substance in May of that year.
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The 21-year-old former Bulls and SA U20 player joined Stade in 2018, but understandably fell out of favour after he tested positive for a banned substance at a random screenin.
Stassen was suspended by the French anti-doping agency on 10 July 2018, pending the outcome of the result of his B-sample urine test. However, that B-sample also tested positive for the banned substance, with Stassen left facing a suspension of four years for using performance enhancing drugs.
In the latest development, Stassen – who is still only 24-years-old – has acknowledged the doping test came back with a high testosterone level, but he has reiterated his innocence and disputed how he could have willingly taken a banned substance.
The view from French club Stade Francais regarding the Stassen saga can be seen below:
In 2018, Stade denounced Stassen’s use of a prohibited substance and also confirmed his contract had been terminated.
‘The results of the second urine test carried out on 18 July at the request of Hendre Stassen confirmed the result of the first sample,’ read the statement.
‘As a result, Hendre Stassen is no longer a player at Stade Français. No further statements will be made on this subject.’
‘Given the approach and actions taken by the French Agency for the fight against doping and damage to the image of Stade Français, the club has initiated a procedure for breach of the contract of its player which has resulted his dismissal for serious misconduct.
‘The club wishes to confirm that it is fully committed to the fight against doping and that it is committed to exemplary flawlessness so that it can not tolerate the slightest doubt about it.’
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