South African boxing featherweight champion Matima Molefe Tuesday received a two-year ban from the country's doping-control agency after the boxer tested positive for anabolic steroids during a tournament earlier this year.

Khalid Galant, director of the agency, said the banned substances were found in Molefe's urine sample, which was taken by doping officials on May 29th.

Galant said Molefe tested positive for metabolites of the anabolic agent, Nandrolone.

According to the agency, taking anabolic steroid is becoming a trend among the boxers because of the misunderstanding that steroids alone will enhance their performance and give them additional strength and power.

Galant said that drug abuse by professional boxers is becoming rife, with four positive tests reported from April 2010 to March 2011.

"Boxers are not only increasing risk on their career by using banned drugs, but are also wasting their money as the drugs are useless," said Galant.

"We hope boxers will learn from these doping bans," he added.

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