UK Anti-Doping (Ukad) has introduced that Conor Benn used to be charged with the alleged use of clomiphene, a banned substance that reinforces testosterone, this month. The rate may lead to a two-year ban for the British boxer who has been seeking to resume his profession in a foreign country with out first clearing his title in public.
This newest construction marks an additional hardening in Ukad’s option to the case, which first made information remaining October when, within the week of his deliberate and closely hyped battle towards Chris Eubank Jr, it emerged that Benn had returned a favorable check consequence for clomiphene. Despite preliminary efforts to continue with the bout, the media and public uproar pressured its cancellation. Later that month Benn admitted he had additionally returned a 2nd and previous certain check consequence for clomiphene. Both those effects have been recorded through Vada (the Voluntary Anti-Doping Authority) and, whilst Benn had now not failed any Ukad assessments, the British company took severe notice of the 2 separate positives.
On Tuesday it used to be reported that Ukad had provisionally suspended Benn on 15 March. While Ukad would now not verify or deny that information then, because it simplest feedback on unresolved investigations in “exceptional circumstances”, on Thursday it made a public remark that started with the statement that the Benn case is a type of “limited and rare examples”. .
Ukad declared: “Following reports in the media and comments made by professional boxer Mr Conor Benn on Tuesday 18 April 2023, and in exceptional circumstances, UK Anti-Doping confirms that Mr Benn was notified and provisionally suspended by Ukad on 15 March 2023 in accordance with the UK Anti-Doping Rules … Ukad can also confirm that on 3 April 2023 it charged Mr Benn with an Article 2.2 violation for the alleged use of a prohibited substance (clomifene). The charge against Mr Benn is pending and will now follow the results management process in accordance with the UK Anti-Doping Rules.”
Benn, who has always protested his innocence, responded with an attempted dismissal of Ukad’s intervention. “Another day, another attempt to create a headline with my name,” he wrote on Twitter. “I am involved in a confidential procedure and I have respected my confidentiality obligations. Yet each day brings a new leak and a misrepresentation of what’s actually happening. There is no news. Being ‘charged’ is a start of a process by which an athlete has to defend themselves. I have not been sanctioned by anyone & I’m not banned from boxing. I remain free to fight in events that are not sanctioned by the BBBoC [British Boxing Board of Control], I don’t even have a BBBoC license.”
The boxer relinquished his British license in late October but attempts by Benn and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, to obtain a license to box in the US have so far remained unfulfilled. Hearn has suggested repeatedly over the past month that Benn’s comeback would be in the Middle East on June 3 but plans to announce that fight have been delayed.
While Benn could fight in another territory, should he be granted a license to box elsewhere, his trainers and Hearn, as his promoter, would be at risk of sanctions from the British board as they adhere to UK regulations. They could lose their British licences, at least temporarily, should they ignore Benn’s Ukad suspension.
The Ukad statement continued: “Whilst provisionally suspended Mr Benn is prohibited from participating in any capacity (or assisting another athlete in any capacity) in a competition, event or activity that is organised, convened, authorized or recognized by the British Boxing Board of Control or any other World Anti-Doping Code-compliant sport.”
Benn has lengthy insisted {that a} 270-page record produced through his staff supplies medical evidence that clears him. But till not too long ago that report were shared simplest with the World Boxing Council (WBC), the sanctioning frame. The WBC returned him to its checklist of most sensible 10 welterweights after concluding Benn had now not deliberately ingested a banned substance nevertheless it disputed his attribution of blame to the trying out laboratory. Ukad it seems that now has the record and its fees towards Benn were laid.
On Thursday, Hearn blamed Ukad and the BBBoC for the “mess” and stated: “Now [Benn] has to go through the Ukad situation, and who knows how long it’s going to take? We have to go through the process, but the whole thing stinks.”
Benn’s criminal staff didn’t reply when approached through The Guardian for additional remark.