Latest news with #UKAD
Powys County Times
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Powys judo star Powell joins athlete anti-doping commission
Natalie Powell has been selected to join UK Anti-Doping's (UKAD) Athlete Commission, alongside six other elite sportspeople who are passionate about clean sport. The now 12-strong group of British athletes are responsible for helping to shape UKAD's work and ensuring that athletes are placed at the heart of its policies and practices. The Beulah raised double Olympian and former World number one Judo star has represented both Team GB and Team Wales during her 15-year-long career. Natalie will bring her extensive knowledge of the elite sporting environment to the Athlete Commission, along with her insight gained from her Biomedical Science (BSc) and Advanced Coaching (MSc) degrees. After receiving the most applications in its history for the Athlete Commission, UKAD reviewed and appointed members based on their experience of, and commitment to, anti-doping and their understanding of the grassroots to elite sporting environment. Ama Agbeze MBE, Chair of UKAD's Athlete Commission and a member of the UKAD Board, said: 'We are thrilled to welcome seven incredible new athletes to the Commission. "Each new member brings a plethora of experience of elite sport and a passion for anti-doping to the table. This group is critical in ensuring the athlete voice is heard and at the heart of anti-doping in the UK. I'm looking forward to working closely with this exciting new cohort, alongside existing members.' Jane Rumble, UKAD's Chief Executive, added: 'The Athlete Commission is pivotal in helping us to bring this ambition to life. Members ensure UKAD is held to account, that how we deliver anti-doping education and testing is as effective as possible and help us to advocate for clean sport 'We are delighted to see this boost to the Commission and we are looking forward to working closely with members to ensure together we can protect clean sport.'
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The British Should Lay Off Conor Benn, The Doping Drama Is Over
By Isaac Nyamungu Barely a few days before the duo was due to clash in 2022, it occurred that Benn had failed two voluntary drug tests for the female fertility drug clomifene. Benn, 28, went down after Chris Eubank Jr. savored the biggest win of his professional boxing career by unanimous verdict at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April. Advertisement 'I think inactivity played a big part. It's quite hard because the past two-and-a-half years, what had gone on, not fighting back here to then coming home to this, it took me back. It did take me back,' said Benn in a post-fight presser. Benn surrendered his British boxing license after the positive tests and UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) deferred him in March 2023, though he maintained he was still free to box outside of the UK. 'In a good way and in a bad way. I was sitting there going 'oh my gosh, this is unbelievable'. And then in the same breath... There were just a lot of new first times for me today, first stadium fight, first time fighting back here in three years, first fight at 160," he said in a post-fight interview. Benn's innocence has been contested and doubted for two-and-a-half years, and now former world champion Froch says the British public should leave him alone and put the matter under the carpet. 'I'm hoping that the British fans have accepted that the position he's in now with the drug testing issues and can put it behind him. It's all old news, it's boring now for me. And there are many fighters before Conor Benn that failed drug tests that have gone on to win world titles and become massive legends and become Hall of Famers. So just leave Conor Benn alone, shut the f*** up about his drug test, and let him get on with his career. Let it go now,' said ex-World Champion Carl Froch in an exclusive interview with
Forbes
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Chris Eubank Jr. Misses Weight For Conor Benn Fight: Fined $500K
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 24: Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn face off ahead of the Middleweight fight ... More between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn during the Fatal Fury - Press Conference on April 24, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by) The highly-anticipated boxing matchup between Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn hit a snag on Friday when Eubank came in heavy on the scale. Despite Eubank's weight miss, the bout scheduled for Saturday, April 26, at Tottenham Hotspur Arena will go on as scheduled. However, Eubank was fined £375,000 ($500,000) for his weight miss. Eubank weighed 160.2 pounds on his first attempt to hit the middleweight limit of 160 pounds for the fight. On his second try, Eubank was incredibly close to making weight, but he was still over, tipping the scale at 160.05 pounds. Meanwhile, Benn checked in at 156.4 pounds. According to ESPN, the fight will go on as scheduled, but Eubank was fined a hefty amount for his weight-cutting miscalculation. Eubank is a middleweight, while Benn has spent his career as a welterweight. However, Benn weighed 150.6 for his most recent fight, a February 2024 decision win over Peter Dobson. The Eubank Jr. vs Benn fight has a rehydration clause in the contract. According to the contract, neither man can weigh more than 170 pounds on fight night. Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn - Middleweight Anthony Yarde vs Lyndon Arthur - Light heavyweight Liam Smith vs Aaron McKenna - Middleweight Chris Billam-Smith vs Brandon Glanton - Cruiserweight Viddal Riley vs Cheavon Clarke - Cruiserweight Eubank and Benn had been scheduled to face each other at O2 Arena in London, England in October 2022. However, that matchup was scrapped after Benn's voluntary urine test showed trace amounts of fertility drug Clomiphene, a banned substance that can boost testosterone levels in men. At the time Benn said, "I was informed [of the first fail] and I thought, 'It's probably a faulty test. I thought, 'We'll get to the bottom of it'. We're still trying to do that. We're making progress. "But the way it's been blown up has affected me so much. My innocence will be proven. It has to be. I passed all my UKAD (UK Anti-Doping) tests, which people aren't talking about. I've passed all my tests in and out of camp. I've been a professional for seven years and never failed a test. "I signed up to VADA (Voluntary Anti-Doping Association) in February, so it doesn't make any sense. Why would I take something then? "Trace amounts were found. The tiniest of traces. The only thing I can think of is contamination. I've not taken anything. I never have done, never would. It's not what I stand for, it's not what my team stands for. "Why would I take the biggest fight of my life, sign up to VADA and then take this substance? If you Google this substance, it stays in your system for months. Do I look like an idiot?" Benn's suspension for the failed drug test was lifted in November 2022 by the U.K. National Anti-Doping Panel (NAPD). In February 2023, the WBC wrote, 'The WBC found that: (1) there was no conclusive evidence that Mr. Benn engaged in intentional or knowing ingestion of Clomiphene; (2) there were no failures in the procedures related to sample collection, sample analysis, or violations of Mr. Benn's B Sample rights that would justify questioning or invalidating the Adverse Finding; and (3) Mr. Benn's documented and highly-elevated consumption of eggs during the times relevant to the sample collection, raised a reasonable explanation for the Adverse Finding.' MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 25: Chris Eubank Jr hits Conor Benn in the face with an egg during ... More the face off at a Press Conference announcing their upcoming fight on February 25, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Mark Robinson/). This is not the first fine, Eubank has picked up in relation to the Benn bout. In late February of this year, Eubank slapped Benn with an egg in his hand when the two faced off after a press conference. The incident cost Eubank about $129,000. The IBO middleweight champion is not sweating the fine. Eubank posted on social media about the fine: "Worth every penny." The £100,000 fine was handed down on Tuesday by the British Boxing Board of Control. The BBBOC's statement said, 'Following a hearing before the stewards of the British Boxing Board of Control, Chris Eubank Jr was found to be in breach of regulation 25 (misconduct) for his conduct at the press conference in Manchester for the Chris Eubank Jr v Conor Benn contest on 26th April 2025. As such, the stewards of the board fined Chris Eubank Jr the sum of £100,000.' Saturday, April 26 12:00 p.m. ET Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England DAZN LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 22: Anthony Yarde and Lyndon Arthur face off on stage ahead of their Light ... More Heavyweight fight during the Chris Eubank Jr v Conor Benn: Fatal Fury - Grand Arrivals event at The Pelligon on April 22, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by) Anthony Yarde (26-3 with 24 knockouts) and Lyndon Arthur (24-2) have faced off twice before. In their first meeting, which happened in December 2020, Arthur picked up a split-decision win to retain the Commonwealth light-heavyweight title, while handing Yarde his second career defeat. The two ran things back in December 2021. That matchup was not as close, with Yarde beating Arthur by knockout in the fourth round, taking Arthur's title from him, while handing his first career defeat. Heading into this 2025 matchup, the 33-year-old Yarde is on a three-fight winning streak since losing to WBC, IBF, and WBO light heavyweight champ Artur Beterbiev in 2023. In his most recent outing, Yade defeated Ralfs Vilcans on points in October 2024. Yarde is ranked No. 5 by the IBF, No. 4 by the WBA, No. 9 by the WBC, and No. 2 by the WBO. The 33-year-old Arthur was 4-0 following his 2021 loss to Yarde. In his fourth fight of that run, Arthur won the vacant IBO light heavyweight belt. That win earned him a shot at WBA champion Dmitry Bivol. Bivol earned a unanimous decision on that night in December 2023. Arthur bounced back from that defeat with a split decision victory over Liam Cameron in June 2024. Arthur is ranked by the IBF (No. 9) and the WBA (No. 7). Before the first meeting between these two, Yarde had suffered significant hardship, losing four members of his family, including his father from COVID-19. After his emphatic bounce-back knockout win, Yarde thought the 'rivalry' between himself and Arthur had been put to rest. But the two meet again on Saturday in a contest that could earn the winner a lucrative matchup in the turbulent light heavyweight division. We will have more on the Chris Eubank vs. Conor Benn fight card, including event results on fight night.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
What happened with Conor Benn's failed drugs tests? Saga explained ahead of Chris Eubank Jr showdown
After two-and-a-half years of waiting, Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn will settle their rivalry in the ring on Saturday night. It is a fight built on their surnames and one that was set to take place at a catchweight of 157lbs in October 2022, despite concerns over the risks of Eubank cutting down so much having spent much of his career at 168lbs. However, that bout fell through due to Benn failing two drugs tests. That controversy has fuelled the bad blood in the build-up to this weekend's grudge match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and it remains a cloud that hangs over the event. Just days before the pair were due to fight in 2022, it emerged that Benn had failed two voluntary drugs tests for the female fertility drug clomifene. Despite claims from promoters that the bout would proceed as planned, it was called off and Benn has spent much of the two-and-a-half years since attempting to clear his name, maintaining his innocence throughout. Benn gave up his British boxing license after the positive tests and UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) suspended him in March 2023, though he insisted he was still free to fight outside of the UK. The WBC initially removed Benn from their world rankings but reinstated him in February 2023 and suggested the failed tests could have been caused by a "highly-elevated consumption of eggs". However, Benn distanced himself from that explanation, instead pointing to 'testing errors'. "At no point did I indicate that I failed any Vada tests because of contaminated eggs," said Benn. "As part of its lengthy investigation, the WBC instructed its own experts to review my supplements and diet, and they concluded that egg contamination was the most likely cause.' The National Anti-Doping Panel (NADA) lifted Benn's suspension in July 2023, however that decision was appealed by UKAD and the BBBoC and he was subsequently provisionally suspended again in May last year. Benn had by that point had two fights in the USA, recording low-key wins on points over Rodolfo Orozco and Peter Dobson. That suspension was withdrawn in November 2024 after the NADA ruled it was "not comfortably satisfied" that UKAD had proved Benn had committed an anti-doping violation, and the both UKAD and the BBBoC opted against appealing that decision. Benn took to social media to announce that the NADA had 'finally cleared me of any wrongdoing'. The verdict of the independent panel has left Benn free to continue his career and fight in the UK, with Saturday night's bout his first on home soil in more than three years.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ex-Warrington Wolves youngster banned after positive test for banned substance
A FORMER Warrington Wolves youngster has been handed a lengthy ban after testing positive for a banned substance. As part of the terms of his suspension, however, winger Josh Lynch will be able to return to playing rugby league this summer after it was deemed he had not acted intentionally. Lynch came through the Wire academy to make his senior debut against Huddersfield Giants in August 2022, scoring a try in a 38-36 defeat. That proved to be his only senior appearance for Warrington as he spent the 2023 campaign on loan at North Wales Crusaders, scoring six tries in 18 matches. However, having been tested by UK Anti-Doping after a pre-season training session with The Wire during December 2023, his sample returned an adverse analytical finding for ibutamoren – a growth hormone that is prohibited in sport. After a charge was issued and mitigation on Lynch's behalf was considered, the Welsh outside-back has been handed a 16-month ban from all sporting activity backdated from February 2, 2024 – the date upon which Lynch received his charge notice and was provisionally suspended. As such, he will be eligible to compete again from June 2 of this year. In a statement released by UKAD, they say it was determined Lynch's explanation that he ingested ibutamoren accidentally having made a protein shake with a contaminated blender that had been used by a friend to make a shake containing the banned substance was plausible. As a result, they were able to conclude that he did not act with intent. 'UKAD instructed an independent scientific expert to provide an opinion on the pharmacokinetic plausibility of Mr Lynch's account,' the UKAD statement read. 'The expert concluded that Mr Lynch's explanation was plausible and, later, further indicated that, had Mr Lynch been a regular user of ibutamoren, he would have expected such use to be apparent by way of an AAF in the Sample provided by Mr Lynch on 22 January. 'UKAD referred the matter to the independent National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP) and a Panel was convened to hear it on 10 December 2024. Mr Lynch and his friend provided oral evidence and were cross examined by UKAD. 'In a decision issued on 16 January 2025, the NADP accepted the account put forward by Mr Lynch and concluded that Mr Lynch had established the source of ibutamoren and had not acted with intent, as defined by the Anti-Doping Rules. 'Assessing Mr Lynch's fault in committing the ADRVs (anti-doping rule violations), the NADP imposed a sixteen-month period of Ineligibility. 'Accounting for the period of time Mr Lynch spent provisionally suspended, his period of Ineligibility is deemed to have commenced on 2 February 2024 and will expire at 11:59pm on 1 June 2025.'
