Latest news with #UKAnti-Doping
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
What are the Enhanced Games and why are they controversial?
The Enhanced Games are a proposed annual multi-sport competition that would allow athletes to use performance-enhancing substances without being subject to drug tests. Those behind the proposal claim it will be the 'Olympics of the future', allowing athletes to take drugs in a bid to break 'world records'. Founder Aron D'Souza believes athletes should be entitled to do what they wish with their own bodies. But the Australian businessman's concept has been heavily criticised for the potential impact on athletes' health, and undermining fair play. UK Anti-Doping (Ukad) said last year its mission was "to protect sport from doping cheats". It added: "There is no place in sport for performance-enhancing drugs, nor the Enhanced Games." At a launch event on Wednesday, Las Vegas was announced as the host of the inaugural Enhanced Games, which will run from 21-24 May 2026. Organisers said that under their permitted conditions, Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev had gone quicker than the 50m freestyle world record, which has stood since 2009. D'Souza's idea has been backed by a venture capital fund which includes Donald Trump Jr - the son of the US president - and billionaire entrepreneur Peter Thiel. It was first launched as a concept in 2023, when it was presented as an opportunity to beat world records for large cash prizes up to $1m (£746,570). World Athletics president Lord Coe has said taking part would be "moronic", and any competitor would face a lengthy ban. D'Souza said his concept was "truly extraordinary" and "shaping the future". The first Enhanced Games will consist of events in short-course swimming, sprinting and weightlifting. Participants are permitted to use some substances that are banned from elite sport, but cocaine and heroin are among those banned. Only substances approved by the United States' Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can be taken. That is a different list to the one the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) allows for elite athletes. Gkolomeev is among those who will compete. Ukrainian swimmer Andriy Govorov, who holds the world record for the 50m butterfly, and Bulgaria's Josif Miladinov - a European silver medallist in the 100m butterfly - have also signed up. Australian former world champion James Magnussen came out of retirement to join the Enhanced Games in 2024. This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team. Ask Me Anything is a service dedicated to answering your questions. We want to reward your time by telling you things you do not know and reminding you of things you do. The team will find out everything you need to know and be able to call upon a network of contacts including our experts and pundits. We will be answering your questions from the heart of the BBC Sport newsroom, and going behind the scenes at some of the world's biggest sporting events. Our coverage will span the BBC Sport website, app, social media and YouTube accounts, plus BBC TV and radio. Has F1's iconic Monaco Grand Prix become boring? What does Hotspur mean? What is World Sevens Football? When did the New York Knicks last win the NBA Championship?
The Irish Sun
12-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Chris Eubank Jr reveals sour moment between him and Conor Benn moments after appearing to bury hatchet in ring
CHRIS EUBANK JR has revealed the reason he refused to shake Conor Benn's hand after their thrilling fight. The born rivals renewed their family feud at the end of April for a middleweight grudge match years in the making. 2 Chris Eubank Jr revealed the reason he refused to shake Conor Benn's hand Credit: Reuters And Eubank walked away with bragging rights after a But unlike after most epic bouts, the two bitter advisories did not embrace following battle. And Eubank, 35, revealed he has still not forgiven Benn, 28, for failing a drug tests in 2022 to initially KO their original fight date. He said on READ MORE IN boxing "Which is what most fighters, pretty much all fighters do after they fight. And especially after a fight like that, you would expect that. "I couldn't do it. I didn't have it in me because in my mind, this kid is still a drugs cheat. "He still tried to cheat in our first fight. Failed two drug tests - never owned up to it. "Denied it, denied it, denied it. No apologies, no admittance, no manning up. Most read in Boxing Eubank Jr vs Benn: SunSport's verdict THIRTY-FIVE YEARS of the Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr rivalry was settled with 36 minutes of violence. Yet with all the tremendous heart shown by both boxers, there wasn't much technique, skill or finesse on display here. After tons of trash talking, egg throwing and mind games that have been played out to the world over the last three years, SunSport's Wally Downes Jr gives his verdict on what should be the final chapter in one of British boxing's biggest beefs. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS "I can't forgive that, I can't respect that, I can't shake that hand until there is some accountability. He's not going to give it." Benn tested positive for clomifene - a banned substance known to boost testosterone - but protested his innocence. He was provisionally suspended by UK Anti-Doping but took his career to America for two wins as the case dragged on. Eventually, UKAD dropped the case against Benn to allow him to fight on home soil against Eubank. The fight was set at the 160lb middleweight limit and Eubank missed the weight by an agonising 0.05lb - costing him a £375,000 fine. And he then had to weigh under 170lb per the rehydration clause in their contract on the morning of the bout. Even so, Eubank took a unanimous points win but spent two days in hospital He said: "It's very likely that the fight will happen again at some point this year. "I want what the fans want. If the fans want to see it next, who am I to say no?" 2 Eubank Jr spent two days in hospital after his victory Credit: Getty
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
Scottish Sun
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
‘I know I didn't cheat' – Ryan Garcia opens up on failed drug test after having Devin Haney win stripped away from him
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RYAN GARCIA has opened up on his failed drug test to insist: "I know I didn't cheat." The American star dropped Devin Haney three times on the way to a shock decision victory in April 2024. 4 Devin Haney had his loss taken away after Ryan Garcia's failed drug test Credit: Getty But the result was soon overturned when it emerged Garcia tested positive for ostarine - a banned substance known to boost muscle growth. Garcia protested his innocence but accepted a one-year ban - opposed to fighting it like Britain's Conor Benn. Benn tested positive for clomiphene - which can boost testosterone - and refused a suspension and instead battled the case. Eventually, UK Anti-Doping dropped the case against him - allowing him to fight on home soil again in defeat to Chris Eubank Jr. READ MORE IN BOXING CIA THERE Garcia ready to fight Benn and settle feud after rival's 'war' with Eubank Jr But Garcia told SunSport: "What did he get out of that? People still think he cheated, so at the end of the day, I know I didn't cheat. "I'll take the ban for a year and that keeps it moving fast. Everybody knows that I didn't take it. "I know my team, we know we didn't take anything, so honestly it doesn't really matter to me at the end of the day. "People are gonna believe whatever they want to believe, they're gonna believe I'm innocent, the large majority do believe that, so who cares?" 4 CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Benn, 28, never shared the evidence that got his case dropped against him, opting to instead keep it confidential. And Garcia - whose team blamed contaminated supplements for his failed test - has not explained why ostarine was in his system. Ryan Garcia ready to fight Conor Benn and settle feud after rival's 'war' with Chris Eubank Jr He added: "What we did find out is that it was at the lowest amount you could possibly find trace amount. "So again, it's proven that there was such low dosage in my system that has no effect on my body, so that's just the truth. It is what it is." Garcia returned clean Voluntary Anti-Doping Association tests in the build-up to his bout with Haney. And the positive tests for ostarine were taken from tests on the day of and 24 hours following the fight at Brooklyn's Barclays Center. Garcia suffered a public mental health breakdown after his fight with Haney. He was even arrested last June and charged with one misdemeanour count of vandalism after causing £11,000 worth of damage in an LA hotel room. But thankfully, Garcia turned it around and has got back on track both mentally and physically. The boxer now returns against former sparring partner Rolando Romero, 29, on Friday night in a historic event staged outside in Times Square. I know I didn't cheat. I'll take the ban for a year and that keeps it moving fast. Everybody knows that I didn't take it. Ryan Garcia on his failed drug test Haney, 26, is also on the same card against Jose Ramirez, 32, with a rematch planned if both are victorious. Garcia said: "I think that he has a great chance to beat Ramirez. Ramirez is a little past his prime. So I expect both of us to win, for sure." Despite Haney regaining his unbeaten record in the aftermath of Garcia's doping scandal - the beatdown still sticks in the memory of fans. And Garcia goaded: "I have no idea how he's gonna go about himself. I just know that I was in his head the first time. "It's hard to look past getting dropped three times, I mean, you have to address that within yourself. "So I don't know how he's gonna handle that." Garcia decided against heading into an immediate rematch with Haney after his lay-off. He learned the hard way for mistakes made before his 2023 loss to Gervonta Davis, 30, which came off the back of a nine-month absence. Garcia said: "I learned my lesson with the Tank fight on not taking a tune-up. You gotta be active. "I don't think taking a year off and going straight into the Haney fight makes sense for either one of us. A year off is a long time. "You need to get your timing back, everything back, real fights are much different than sparring, so it's good that we both took a fight, I think." 4 Garcia returns against Rolando Romero Credit: Getty
The Irish Sun
30-04-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘I know I didn't cheat' – Ryan Garcia opens up on failed drug test after having Devin Haney win stripped away from him
RYAN GARCIA has opened up on his failed drug test to insist: "I know I didn't cheat." The American star dropped Devin Haney three times on the way to a shock decision victory in April 2024. 4 Devin Haney had his loss taken away after Ryan Garcia's failed drug test Credit: Getty But the result was soon overturned when it emerged Garcia tested positive for ostarine - a banned substance known to boost muscle growth. Garcia protested his innocence but accepted a one-year ban - opposed to Benn tested positive for clomiphene - which can boost testosterone - and refused a suspension and instead battled the case. Eventually, UK Anti-Doping dropped the case against him - allowing him to fight on home soil again READ MORE IN BOXING But Garcia told SunSport: "What did he get out of that? People still think he cheated, so at the end of the day, I know I didn't cheat. "I'll take the ban for a year and that keeps it moving fast. Everybody knows that I didn't take it. "I know my team, we know we didn't take anything, so honestly it doesn't really matter to me at the end of the day. "People are gonna believe whatever they want to believe, they're gonna believe I'm innocent, the large majority do believe that, so who cares?" Most read in Boxing 4 CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Benn, 28, never shared the evidence that got his case dropped against him, opting to instead keep it confidential. And Garcia - whose team blamed contaminated supplements for his failed test - has not explained why ostarine was in his system. Ryan Garcia ready to fight Conor Benn and settle feud after rival's 'war' with Chris Eubank Jr He added: "What we did find out is that it was at the lowest amount you could possibly find trace amount. "So again, it's proven that there was such low dosage in my system that has no effect on my body, so that's just the truth. It is what it is." Garcia returned clean Voluntary Anti-Doping Association tests in the build-up to his bout with Haney. And the positive tests for ostarine were taken from tests on the day of and 24 hours following the fight at Brooklyn's Barclays Center. Garcia suffered a public mental health breakdown after his fight with Haney. He was even arrested last June and charged with one misdemeanour count of vandalism after But thankfully, Garcia turned it around and has got back on track both mentally and physically. The boxer now returns against former sparring partner Rolando Romero, 29, I know I didn't cheat. I'll take the ban for a year and that keeps it moving fast. Everybody knows that I didn't take it. Ryan Garcia on his failed drug test Haney, 26, is also on the same card against Jose Ramirez, 32, with a rematch planned if both are victorious. Garcia said: "I think that he has a great chance to beat Ramirez. Ramirez is a little past his prime. So I expect both of us to win, for sure." Despite Haney regaining his unbeaten record in the aftermath of Garcia's doping scandal - the beatdown still sticks in the memory of fans. And Garcia goaded: "I have no idea how he's gonna go about himself. I just know that I was in his head the first time. "It's hard to look past getting dropped three times, I mean, you have to address that within yourself. "So I don't know how he's gonna handle that." Garcia decided against heading into an immediate rematch with Haney after his lay-off. He learned the hard way for mistakes made before his 2023 loss to Gervonta Davis, 30, which came off the back of a nine-month absence. Garcia said: "I learned my lesson with the Tank fight on not taking a tune-up. You gotta be active. "I don't think taking a year off and going straight into the Haney fight makes sense for either one of us. A year off is a long time. "You need to get your timing back, everything back, real fights are much different than sparring, so it's good that we both took a fight, I think." 4 Garcia returns against Rolando Romero Credit: Getty 4 Haney facing off with Jose Ramirez Credit: Getty
