NUMBER 1 ranked welterweight contender, Amir Khan, and sixth-ranked heavyweight contender, David Haye, were dropped from the WBC ratings, effective immediately, for failing to enroll in the council’s ‘Clean Boxing Program.’
The Brits, and 23 others, were given five months to enroll in the program, which is jointly administered by the WBC and the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA), but failed to meet the October 11 deadline. Until enrollment is completed, the fighters will not be ranked by the council or able to fight for a WBC title.
“The enrollment process, which began on May 5, was also extended until today, as the ratings for October are being released,” read a statement from the WBC. “Those fighters who did not enroll have been taken out of the WBC ratings.”
The Clean Boxing Program requires random, year-round, unannounced testing for the top fifteen fighters in each division. VADA will conduct the testing, which is aimed at detecting the use of performance enhancing drugs and ‘other prohibited methods.’
Other notable boxers opting out of the program, and, consequently, no longer ranked by the WBC, are Jean Pascal, Vanes Martirosyan, Lamont Peterson, Rances Barthelemy, Felix Verdejo, Yuriorkis Gamboa, and Brian Viloria.
“The WBC is proud of its champions and challengers who have taken a step forward in this historic process to keep our sport clean and most importantly to look out for the health of our athletes and the integrity and honorability of our sport,” concluded the council’s statement.
