Conor Benn has refused to comment on claims he has been “provisionally suspended” by UK Anti-Doping.
The 26-year-old welterweight took to social media on Tuesday to accuse someone at either the British Boxing Board of Control or UKAD of leaking an apparent development in his case, but insisting he is still “free to fight outside the UK”.
However, he neither confirmed nor denied the suggestion of a ban reportedly imposed on March 15.
I can't comment on anything to do with UKAD other than to say that I am in touch with them. Someone at the BBBoC or UKAD obviously wanted to create a headline unlike the Khan case where it was kept quiet for 14 months but this is nothing new. I remain free to fight outside the UK
— Conor Nigel Benn (@ConorNigel) April 18, 2023
Writing on his Twitter account, Benn said: “I can’t comment on anything to do with UKAD other than to say that I am in touch with them.
“Someone at the BBBoC or UKAD obviously wanted to create a headline, unlike the [Amir] Khan case where it was kept quiet for 14 months, but this is nothing new.
“I remain free to fight outside the UK.”
The PA news agency has contacted both the BBBoC and UKAD for comment.
Conor Benn (right) was due to fight Chris Eubank Jr (left) in October last year (Steven Paston/PA)
Benn was due to fight Chris Eubank Jr in a 157lbs catchweight contest at the O2 Arena last October, but the contest was cancelled after it was revealed Benn had failed two voluntary drugs tests.
Trace amounts of fertility drug clomiphene, known to elevate testosterone levels in men, were detected in Benn’s urine, but the World Boxing Council cleared the welterweight fighter of intentional doping in February.
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A “highly elevated consumption of eggs” was considered a “reasonable explanation” and while investigations by UKAD and the BBBoC are ongoing, Benn is free to resume his boxing career outside of the UK after relinquishing his BBBoC licence.
Former light-welterweight world champion Khan was handed a two-year ban from all sport earlier this month after testing positive for a prohibited substance.
Amir Khan was handed a two-year ban from all sport earlier this month after testing positive for a prohibited substance (Nick Potts/PA)
UKAD said the 36-year-old returned a positive result for the anabolic agent ostarine following his sixth-round technical knock-out loss to Kell Brook in Manchester in February 2022.
Khan, who announced his retirement in May last year, accepted a violation of anti-doping rules, but said he had not intentionally ingested the substance, an argument accepted by an independent panel following a hearing in January.
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