“It wasn’t me!”
Athlete Isaac is in serious trouble when he’s framed for doping.
Keeping Score Mon-Tue SABC2 (*192) 21:30
Long-distance runner Isaac (Sipho Nkuna) has nothing to worry about when the Athletics Board orders random drug tests at the ASA on Monday 12 December. But there’s a problem when the results come back on Monday 19 December: clean-living Isaac has tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance. “Isaac is destroyed and disgusted,” explains Sipho. “He’d never dabble in drugs as he’s very good at running. He doesn’t need drugs to enhance his talents.”
“Isaac is certain that it is ASA’s trainer Greg and his rival runner Mack (Jacques Bessenger and Tshepo Ramasia),” says Sipho, adding that “Mack and Greg have an intimate gay relationship and Greg wants Mack to be the ASA’s star.” Greg sees Mack as his ticket to fame, money and putting him in a position to snatch the ASA from Justice (Saint Seseli). With Isaac suspended, Greg and Mack continue training on Monday 19 December but Isaac has a secret weapon, Sipho reveals. “Isaac’s girlfriend Eshe (Swankie Mafoko) is a former cop and she’s going to help investigate his positive test.” Isaac’s impatience gets the better of him on Tuesday 20 December. “He hates her slow methods, like taking syringes from Greg’s office as evidence to compile a report,” says Sipho. But this may not only be about Isaac being a better athlete than Mack – Isaac is being mistreated in the gym and he puts it down to xenophobia. He escaped violence in Sudan and came to SA for a better life. Isaac believes that no one at ASA wants him there, especially Greg who points out all the time that Isaac “doesn’t belong in the country and ASA”. “Citizenship is a sore topic for Isaac,” explains Sipho. “It’s only a matter of time before he is deported as his visa has expired.” Eshe was handpicked by Justice’s housekeeper Warona (Maki Mokhitli) on Monday 28 November to marry Isaac when he told Justice about his visa expiring. There isn’t romantic chemistry between Eshe and Isaac but Sipho says that “they get along and have each others’ backs. That friendship counts for the future…”
On Monday 26 December, Isaac tells a journalist that he has proof of corruption at ASA and he knows who’s involved in the doping. He’s turned away and later it turns out that Isaac’s missing…
Housekeeper Warona has had enough of her employer Justice treating her badly and she gives him an ultimatum, but Justice is too busy with the drug testing at his ASA facility to notice how angry and serious Warona is about leaving. Justice’s daughters Botho and Ashanti have a falling out and Mmamosa uses the girls’ fight to her advantage, causing more friction between the pair with some carefully crafted lies. Meanwhile, ASA trainer Greg feels like his life is crumbling when his chances of making easy money abruptly end, so he decides to do something that will secure his future.
Isaac’s “random” drug test results show the presence of performance-enhancing substances in his blood but he insists that he’s being framed and his girlfriend Eshe snoops around the gym to help Isaac. Botho and Lehasa aren’t happy when they’re forced to work together at the gym and they try to avoid each other at all costs. Meanwhile, Mack and Isaac get into a physical brawl at the ASA gym, while elsewhere Warona resigns and walks out on Justice and his two girls. Angry about losing his housekeeper and his daughters’ minder, Justice turns to Mmamosa for advice, unaware that this is all part of her plan and that she’s going to give him “advice” that could land him in serious trouble.