PERHAPS unsurprisingly, unbeaten middleweight operator Connor Coyle has professed his innocence, insisting that he was unjustly wronged by a ‘flawed’ testing procedure.
It emerged earlier this week that the 35-year-old had failed a drugs test – for which substance, or substances, it remains to be seen – following his draw with Vito Mielnicki Jr in February.
As a result, the New York State Athletic Commission has ruled their bout a no-contest, yet there nonetheless appears to be several more elements to the settlement that Coyle, 21-0 (9 KOs), rather begrudgingly accepted.
One of which happens to be a nine-month ban, and while a violation of such nature would typically equate to a year-long sentence, it seems that Coyle’s legal team has successfully negotiated a more desirable outcome.
In turn, the NYSAC – by reducing his ban – has effectively accepted the possibility that there may have been flaws in the drugs testing process.
“While my client and I strongly disputed the accuracy of the testing process, and maintained serious concerns about procedural irregularities that compromised the reliability of the results, Connor chose to accept this resolution to avoid the time and expense of prolonged litigation,” Coyle’s attorney wrote in an official statement.
“Our investigation revealed significant issues with laboratory equipment failures and testing protocols that raised legitimate questions about the validity of the findings.”
To accompany his legal representative’s words, Coyle added on Instagram: “The testing was flawed. Lab failures and procedural errors made the results unreliable.
“I accepted the resolution to avoid a drawn-out, costly fight — not because I was guilty. Clean from DAY ONE – never cheated, never will.”
It remains unclear as to which testing agency detected the adverse finding, though it must be assumed that Coyle’s samples were analysed in a World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited lab.
Either way, it is not uncommon for a fighter’s legal team to highlight issues with lab testing and, in doing so, reduce the extent of an originally-imposed punishment.
In this case, it seems that Coyle will have until November 14 to undergo mandatory testing, before he is then presented with an opportunity to resume his career.
