British boxer Conor Benn, who’s held the WBA Continental welterweight title since 2018, was cleared of doping allegations after he revealed he simply ate too many eggs.
In October, the boxer was set up to fight Chris Eubank Jr. when the organization received a positive test for a fertility drug used to enhance testosterone and fat-burning cells. However, he is expected to return to the WBC welterweight ring after traces of the performance-enhancing drug clomiphene was found in his system.
Upon further investigation by the organization, a “documented and highly elevated consumption of eggs” was found to be “a reasonable explanation” for the positive drug test. Although he has always maintained his innocence and was cleared by the WBC, the British Boxing Board of Control is not allowing him to return to their organization just yet.
“The BBBofC has not been party to the review conducted by the WBC and has not been provided with sight of any evidence submitted on Mr. Benn’s behalf,” BBBofC general secretary Robert Smith said in a statement. “For clarity, whilst the BBBofC wishes to make clear that it respects the WBC, the WBC is a sanctioning body and not a governing body.
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“The BBBofC was the governing body with whom Mr. Benn was licensed at the material time, and as such, any alleged anti-doping violation shall be dealt with in accordance with its rules and regulations,” the statement continued.
With this statement being released, it puts Benn in a difficult situation, especially when he has always remained committed to following the rules of the sport. “We have never cut corners or cheated the grind in any way,” the athlete said in a statement released on social media in December. ” … It’s been really hard for me to accept that people think that I would do what I was accused of.”
Should Conor Benn still be allowed to box? Some say no
While some are excited to see the boxer back in the ring, others are questioning the authority of this decision. More specifically, Victor Conte, the founder of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative, told ESPN he believes Benn is still responsible for having the chemical in his body, regardless of if it was because of eating eggs.
“In my opinion, the WBC ruling in the Conor Benn case is outrageous,” Conte said. “They completely ignored the strict liability rule that has existed since the beginning of anti-doping. This rule basically states that an athlete is responsible for what is in their body, no matter how it got there. Clomiphene is a prohibited substance at all times by Olympic governing bodies worldwide.”
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