Alexander Povetkin fails drug test, loses WBC sanctioning of interim heavyweight title bout
The World Boxing Council announced late Friday night it was withdrawing its sanctioning of an interim heavyweight title fight because Russia’s Alexander Povetkin failed a drug test for the banned substance Ostarine.
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman told The Times in a follow-up email that he doesn’t know whether Saturday’s bout in Russia between Povetkin (30-1, 22 knockouts) and former champion Bermane Stiverne will proceed, “but if it does, it is not sanctioned by the WBC,” Sulaiman wrote.
“It is incredible, but safety has no compromise. There is no turning back.”
Ostarine was found in a Povetkin sample taken by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Assn. on Dec. 6, according to the WBC report on the matter, and the organization informed the WBC Friday of the adverse finding on the first, or “A” sample.
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 had previously submitted a positive sample for the banned energy building substance meldonium in April, scrapping his scheduled heavyweight title fight against WBC champion Deontay Wilder in Russia.
After extended dialogue that discussed the low amount of meldonium in Povetkin’s system and his surrounding negative tests, the WBC allowed Povetkin the opportunity to fight Stiverne for the interim title as Wilder heals from injuries suffered in his replacement fight against Riverside’s Chris Arreola.
One of the conditions was that Povetkin would pay for follow-up drug tests, and if he submitted another positive test, he could be banned for life by the WBC.
“The WBC will conduct a thorough investigation of the circumstances of the case and will issue subsequent rulings as required,” Friday night’s WBC statement read.
Follow Lance Pugmire on Twitter @latimespugmire
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