THE WBO has given Dennis McCann until March 22 to provide an explanation for his failed drug test of last December.
Ahead of his scheduled showdown with Peter McGrail, it emerged that McCann, 16-0-1 (8 KOs), had returned a positive finding in a pre-fight test conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA).
As a result, the 24-year-old was swiftly removed from his super-bantamweight contest, presenting featherweight prospect Rhys Edwards with a short-notice opportunity to face McGrail instead.
After speaking with British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC) General Secretary Robert Smith, The Times have since reported that McCann had tested positive for drostanolone and trenbolone – two anabolic-androgenic steroids.
Not only that, but Smith told The Times last month that the BBBC is monitoring the activities of Dr Usman Sajjad, a controversial GB linked with McCann among other fighters.
In any case, the WBO has now granted ‘The Menace’ a 30-day extension to respond to his show cause notice, requesting further evidence of his alleged wrongdoing.
This does not, however, mean that the same process will be followed by the BBBC, but rather, just one of boxing’s four major sanctioning bodies has seemingly sent a request.
On the WBO website, it states that an analysis of McCann’s B-sample – following on from his failed VADA test – is yet to take place.
Should the B-sample prove to be negative, the WBO will determine that as the overall result of his test, regardless of his positive A-sample.
But again, should McCann’s show cause notice response prove satisfactory, the WBO’s verdict will not necessarily clear him of any wrongdoing.
