LONDON (AP) — Former world heavyweight champion Joseph Parker argued to British anti-doping authorities that his nutritionist's cocaine use caused a positive drug test after his bout with Fabio Wardley last October.
Parker, who lost the Oct. 25 fight at O2 Arena in London, had been provisionally suspended after urine tests overseen by UK Anti-Doping showed traces of cocaine in his system.
UKAD said Thursday it imposed a three-month ban which was deemed served because the 34-year-old New Zealander had been suspended since late November.
Parker is free to fight again after the anti-doping organization accepted that "any ingestion of cocaine by Mr. Parker occurred out-of-competition only and in a context unrelated to sport performance." It noted that "cocaine is prohibited in-competition only."
Parker had told investigators he "did not knowingly or intentionally use cocaine" and alleged the positive test "was the result of his exposure to cocaine from use by a nutritionist he employed in preparation for the bout," UKAD's decision read.
#fight
Parker, who lost the Oct. 25 fight at O2 Arena in London, had been provisionally suspended after urine tests overseen by UK Anti-Doping showed traces of cocaine in his system.
UKAD said Thursday it imposed a three-month ban which was deemed served because the 34-year-old New Zealander had been suspended since late November.
Parker is free to fight again after the anti-doping organization accepted that "any ingestion of cocaine by Mr. Parker occurred out-of-competition only and in a context unrelated to sport performance." It noted that "cocaine is prohibited in-competition only."
Parker had told investigators he "did not knowingly or intentionally use cocaine" and alleged the positive test "was the result of his exposure to cocaine from use by a nutritionist he employed in preparation for the bout," UKAD's decision read.
#fight
3 months ago
