In the wake of Billy Joe Saunders’ positive drug test a statement has been published on his promoter Frank Warren website addressing the issue.
“Following reports of an adverse analytical finding in a test carried out by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (“VADA”) on WBO World Middleweight Champion, Billy Joe Saunders, we can confirm that the product concerned is permitted to be used ‘Out of Competition’ by United Kingdom Anti-Doping (“UKAD”) in line with the regulations of the World Anti-Doping Agency (“WADA”).
“For the avoidance of doubt, the product in question was a common decongestant nasal spray.
The British Boxing Board of Control (“BBBofC”) under whose jurisdiction Billy Joe Saunders is licensed are affiliated only to UKAD/WADA.
“Today the BBBofC have confirmed that Mr Saunders is not in breach of BBBofC or UKAD anti doping regulations and is therefore in good standing and is licensed to box and defend his World Title on October 20th.
“Mr. Saunders has been tested a number of times in 2018, all negative, his last out of competition test by UKAD was on 24th September 2018.”
The WBO middleweight champion is believed to have tested positive to oxilofrine, a stimulant drug in the amphetamine family that is chemically related to ephedrine and synephrine.
The 29-year-old Saunders 26-0 (12) is scheduled to defend his WBO 160-pound title against Demetrius ‘Boo Boo’ Andrade 25-0 (16) at the TD Arena in Boston, Massachusetts on October 20.
The news comes hot on the heels of a £100,000 fine imposed by the BBBofC for bringing the sport into disrepute after a video emerged of Saunders taunting a woman on the street.
The video shows the middleweight asked the woman to perform a sex act on a friend in exchange for crack cocaine and incited the woman to assault a passer-by, who Saunders alleges was a paedophile. After the woman punches the man in the face Saunders revealed he didn’t in fact know the man and that he wasn’t a paedophile.
