'I didn't take drugs'

Sergio Motsoeneng broke his silence and insisted he is innocent.

"I don't know where all this is coming from. I have not taken drugs - never in all my life - and I'm shocked and disappointed that my career has been stopped once again," he said early on Thursday.

Motsoeneng was banned for two years on Wednesday after failing his dope tests - both A and B samples.

After the 2010 Comrades Marathon in which he finished third, Motsoeneng said: "I'm not so stupid to take drugs to spoil my chances of winning a race. I know how strict Comrades are when it comes to cheating, and I know that tests are done on runners soon after the race. Why would I want to risk this?"

A third place finish meant Motsoeneng won R90 000 and a gold medal, but the Comrades Marathon Association does not hand this over until drug tests come back negative. Athletics SA has not revealed the name of the drug used by Motsoeneng.

Sitting at home in a freezing QwaQwa in the Free State, the 33-year-old Discovery runner was told on Thursday that his second urine sample had also tested positive for a banned substance.

Now that the second sample has come back positive he has an option to take it on appeal.

But he says: "I believe it's just a waste of money. I cannot believe that I have tested positive twice. I have not taken any drugs nor have I taken any medicines this year as I have not been ill.

What will he do now? "There's little I can do. I've just been sitting around at home all day since I was informed by Athletics SA. People are saying a lot of things at the moment but deep down in my heart I know I have not done anything wrong. I cannot afford to take this case on appeal or to court - it will cost me a lot of money."

Motsoeneng said he would have to bite the bullet and serve the two-year ban imposed on him.

"I'm not quitting - that's for sure. I'm talented and I know that I can do well in road races and I will be back. I will serve my time and return. I know I can win road races and will return a stronger person."

Meanwhile Nic Bester, manager of the Nedbank Running Club, said that Motsoeneng should have been handed a harsher punishment.

"I cannot understand it. He cheated some years ago and received five years. Now he's been bust for drugs and gets two years. It should have been the other way around and banned for life," he said.