ALEXANDER POVETKIN has tested positive for banned substance Ostarine ahead of his scheduled fight with Bermane Stiverne in Russia, the WBC have confirmed.
The Voluntary Anti-Doping Association found Ostarine in a Povetkin sample taken in December, according to a press release sent out by the WBC, who were sanctioning the bout as a heavyweight eliminator.
The WBC were informed of the adverse findings yesterday and a just a few hours ago withdrew their recognition of the contest, although the organisation is not yet sure whether the fight is still going ahead. The pair are scheduled to fight in Ekaterinburg later today.
The @WBCBoxing has been notified by @Vada_Testing of adverse result of banned substance Ostarine from Alexander Povetkin.Ruling to come soon
— Mauricio Sulaiman (@wbcmoro) December 17, 2016
Ostarine has been banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency since 2008 because it “is believed to provide some of the same benefits of traditional anabolic/androgenic steroids, such as testosterone (including increased muscle mass, fat loss and bone density),” according to the WBC report.
Povetkin’s mandated shot at WBC champion Wilder was aborted earlier in the year when Povetkin tested positived for trace amounts of meldonium. The substance had only just been added to the banned list and after extended talks it was agreed Povetkin would not be punished but must pay for all future drug tests and that if he failed another, he could be banned for life by the WBC.
As such, the WBC also stated they will undertake an investigation into this latest failed test and make a ruling in due course.
Stiverne also failed a drug test prior to the sight when dimethyamylamine was found in his system. However he was only fined $75,000 and the WBC did not withdraw their recognition of the bout at that time.
