Du Toit Appointed to Board of Directors to SAIDS

Multiple Paralympic champion Natalie du Toit has been appointed to the new Board of Directors at the South African Institute of Drug Free Sport (SAIDS) 11 Feb 2013
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Natalie Du Toit touched retires after the London 2012 Paralympic Games having left a substantial mark in the history books.

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Multiple Paralympic champion Natalie DuToit has been appointed to the new Board of directors at the South African Institute for Drug Free Sport (SAIDS).

After the London 2012 Paralympic Games the 29-year-old from Cape Town retired from competitive swimming having won a total of 13 gold medals and two silver in three Paralympics during her career.

"Drug-free was always important in my career," du Toit told BBC Sport. "I went out there and was too scared to even take cough mixture. It was important I raced knowing it was me and nothing else.

"There are people out there who don't think like that and who want that medal or world record so badly.

"Hopefully we can make it clean at all levels, even at school level, and create awareness.

"A stronger punishment has to go across the board and it is important to treat everyone the same, but how do you do that when everyone is on different substances?

Du Toit, who made her international debut in 1998 at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, claimed that she is not missing competing and is happy watching new youngsters in South Africa try to follow her.

"I wish them all the best and my message is please break all those records [I set]," she said. "I've been lucky enough to travel the world and win awards and medals but it was time to stop.

"I walk out knowing I have done everything and achieved everything I had set for myself."