Alexander Povetkin has been banned indefinitely after failing more anti-doping tests for performance enhancing drugs.
Doping is a common accusation in the world of boxing and Alexander Povetkin has found himself amid many scandals relating to substance use that is outside of regulations of the governing organizations regarding substance use in athelets. An indefinite suspension has been placed on Alexander Povetkin, a Russian boxer, because of illegal doping. The WBC states that the boxer is able to ask that the suspension is lifted after a period of one year. Alexander, who is currently thirty seven years old, had won the super heavyweight gold medal in the 2004 Athens Olympic games. His suspension is only over events that are governed by the WBC. If he is able to test negative for unauthorized substances for an entire year, the ban may be lifted upon request. He has a record of thirty one wins and only one loss with twenty three knockouts. Povetkin was also told he must have additional drug testing under his own cost.
The boxer was fined $250,000 for testing positive for the selective androgen-receptor modulator (SARM) Ostarine (MK 677), which is also a banned substance in December of 2016. His opponent refused to fight him after the test results and the sanction for his international title was refused. Another event was scheduled in its place.The boxer ended up fighting Johann Duhaupas and knocked him out in six rounds. Povetkin also tested positive for Meldonium before facing Deontay Wilder in a Moscow fight. Povetkin’s legal spokesperson stated that the WBC’s statement was known because of the positive Ostarine test. He also says this is the same thing other federations over sports would have done as well. The legal rep also stated that they are in regular contact with the WBC concerning the matter and investigating how the boxer ended up with the substance in his blood.
A federal judge formally ruled that the boxer used performance improving substances even after they were banned by the WADA. Deontay Wilder pursued a court case against Alexander Povetkin looking for a five million dollar payout that was never made against the challenger. Alexander produced three negative tests for Meldonium. However, he had positive test results during an unscheduled drug test just before the event. Kent Yalowitz, the lawyer of Povetkin, states that the verdict was misjustice. He publically announced that trace amounts of the substance resulted in the positive test result unfairly, because the substance remains in the blood for an extended period of time after use and that the boxer was not actively using it. The lawyer also pointed out that athletes regularly test positive for the substance at trace levels. The WBC eventually cleared the boxer because there was not enough evidence of the substance being used after the ban had been put in place. It will be interesting to watch as stories unfold in the future regarding this boxer and his test results for Ostarine as well as other substances in the future once his ban has been inevitably lifted and he once again begins participating in sporting events across the globe.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/39151169
