THE BRITISH BOXING Board of Control (BBBofC) was informed by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) prior to Dillian Whyte’s points victory over Oscar Rivas that the Briton had tested positive for at least one banned substance, but Rivas’ camp was not notified, according to a report by famed boxing journalist Thomas Hauser for BoxingScene.
On Wednesday, Hauser reported in the same publication that an ‘A’ sample taken from heavyweight contender Whyte by UKAD had tested positive for one or more banned substances prior to last Saturday’s Sky Sports Box Office encounter with the Colombian.
He has since confirmed for BoxingScene that the substances in question were epimethandienone and hydroxymethandienone, two metabolites of the banned anabolic steroid Dianabol. (A metabolite is a byproduct of the body breaking down a drug — in this case Dianabol — into a different substance. When the drug departs the body, it leaves behind these residual substances).
Dianabol was developed in 1955 to treat hypogonadism — a condition which diminishes the functional activity of the testicles — but it is no longer used medically and is no longer legally available in many countries, including the United States. It can still be purchased in Britain, however, and is often used as a performance-enhancing drug — especially by bodybuilders.
Hauser reports that the amount of epimethandienone and hydroxymethandienone discovered in Whyte’s ‘A’ sample was minimal, and as such may have been ingested as part of a supplement rather than directly. However, any amount of either substance found in an athlete’s system would be considered a violation of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code.
Whyte — who has frequently insinuated that British rival Anthony Joshua is a doper — and opponent Rivas underwent testing by both the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) and UKAD prior to their bout at London’s O2 Arena.
The positive test in question was conducted by UKAD, and the results reportedly came back on 17 July — four days prior to the bout. Hauser reported on Wednesday that the findings were relayed by the UK anti-doping body to Whyte’s camp — including his promoters Matchroom Boxing — as well as the British Boxing Board. However, Rivas’ team were not informed and the BBBofC allowed the fight to proceed as scheduled.
Reason being: under UK rules Whyte has a right of appeal which, upon the discovery of his positive ‘A’ sample, he exercised by requesting that his ‘B’ sample also be tested. That test would not be possible until this week, but UKAD regulations dictate that until the adjudication process concludes and due process is complete, there cannot be a finding that a fighter is in breach of its PED protocols.
Therefore, no sanctions could have been put in place by the BBBofC in this instance.
Robert W. Smith, the general secretary of the BBBofC, released a statement on Thursday which read simply:
United Kingdom Anti-Doping undertake all antidoping procedures on behalf of British Boxing Board of Control and any subsequent findings, decisions, suspensions and sanctions are upheld by the British Boxing Board of Control in line with United Kingdom Anti-Doping. No further comment will be made at this time.
This followed a statement issued on Twitter by Matchroom Boxing chief Eddie Hearn, in which Whyte’s promoter confirmed that Whyte and Rivas were cleared by both UKAD and VADA, as well as the British board, to compete last Saturday night, but notably did not deny reports of Whyte’s positive test.
“Further to reports I can confirm that both Dillian Whyte and Oscar Rivas were subject to extensive VADA and UKAD testing for their bout,” said Hearn. “Both fighters were cleared to fight by both bodies and the BBBofC.”
(As Hauser notes in Thursday’s BoxingScene report, VADA does not ‘clear’ combatants to fight, but rather communicates its findings to all parties signed up to its stringent testing programme).
Whyte previously served a two-year ban when he tested positive for a banned stimulant in 2012 following his ninth professional boxing fight.
Whyte contended at the time that he had used a mainstream training supplement without first checking its ingredients, but his appeal was rejected.
If his ‘B’ sample returns positive — and ‘B’ samples are generally consistent with their ‘A’ equivalents — the 31-year-old’s case will be passed to the independent National Anti-Doping Panel.
Having already been sanctioned once, the heavyweight contender could now face a lifetime ban.
The news comes during an already devastating week for the sport of boxing, during which two combatants — Maxim Dadashev of Russia and Hugo Santillan of Argentina — passed away aged 28 and 23 respectively following injuries sustained in separate bouts last weekend.
