Former Junior Springbok, Bulls and Stade Francais forward Hendre Stassen is set to make his return to a rugby pitch this weekend after a four-year doping ban.
The 25-year-old back-five forward was highly touted in his youth but has spent the last four years fighting a legal battle for his career.
He was handed a four-year ban after testing positive for banned substances during his stint with Top 14 side Stade Francais.
He will now make his return in South Africa, where he is set to come off the bench for Tuks, University of Pretoria, in their Carlton A League fixture against Centurion. The Carlton Cup is a local open club league played under the Blue Bulls Rugby Union.
Lock / Flank Hendre Stassen will make his debut off the bench for Tuks in the Carlton A League on the 22nd July. He recently returned from a 4 year ban for doping. pic.twitter.com/t2ZlqbE8IJ
— Adrian Slabbert (@adrian_slabbert) July 21, 2023
Hendre Stassen’s ban
The Hoerskool Dr EG Jansen product was signed by the Bulls straight out of school and represented South Africa at U20s level in 2017.
He quickly made his mark at the side and was contracted until 2021 after breaking into the first team.
However, in 2018 he was loaned to Stade Francais, and after several impressive performances, the Top 14 club moved to sign him on a permanent basis and succeeded.
He made 18 appearances for the team until he was suspended by the French anti-doping agency on July 10 2018, pending the outcome of the result of his B-sample urine test.
His subsequent B-sample returned with a high testosterone level, and in September 2019, Stade Francais officially released him from his contract.
“The results of the B sample analysis, made at the request of Hendre Stassen, have confirmed the results of the first sample,” the club’s statement read.
“The results of the second test carried out on July 18 at the request of Hendre Stassen were communicated to the latter on July 22 and confirmed the result of the first sample,” said the club’s statement.
“Given the approach and actions taken by the French Agency for the Fight against Doping and damage to the image of Stade Francais Paris, the club has initiated a procedure for breach of the contract of its player, which has resulted in his dismissal for serious misconduct.
“The club wishes to recall that it is fully committed to the fight against doping and that it is committed to exemplary flawlessness so that it cannot tolerate the slightest doubt about it.
“As a result, Hendre Stassen is no longer a player at Stade Francais Paris. No further statements will be made on this subject.”
4 Years mental, 8 Months physical. 5 Weeks to go… pic.twitter.com/8FEqfaMo0t
— Hendre Stassen (@HendreStassen) March 29, 2023
Fighting his case
In an interview with Midi Olympique last year, he maintained his innocence and said that he spent over 300,000 euros to plead his case.
“In two years, I have invested more than 300,000 euros in law firms to defend my version of the facts,” he said.
“A lawyer in Paris, another in Switzerland and a last in South Africa will go to the end to prove my innocence.
“I even tested with experts from all over the world all the food supplements I was taking at the time: they were all clean, and documents that I have at your disposal prove it. Really, I am completely confused.”
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