By: Sean Crose
First it was Dillian Whyte. Then it was Alicia Baumgardner. And now heavyweight contender Robert Helenius has failed a drug take a look at, one which he took earlier than his excessive profile battle two weeks in the past in opposition to Anthony Joshua. “Today,” Matchroom Promotions – the pressure behind the Helenius versus Joshua bout – acknowledged through press launch, “the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) has informed Matchroom and the British Boxing Board of Control that Robert Helenius has returned an adverse analytical finding as part of a random anti-doping protocol.”
The assertion then went on to say that the take a look at was voluntarily taken by Helenius on the eleventh of August, the day earlier than the Joshua battle. “The result,” the assertion continued, “was made known to Matchroom today.” Suffice it to say the banned substance(s) in Helenius’ system didn’t assist him within the ring in opposition to Joshua, for the towering Englishman lay his Finnish opponent out within the opening spherical of the bout.
“Matchroom defers to the relevant regulatory authorities on next steps,” the assertion went on to learn. “We vehemently continue to support voluntary anti-doping testing. We are committed to promoting a clean and fair sport for all athletes.” And with that, Matchroom basically washed its arms of the affair. “We will not be making any further comment,” the assertion concluded.
The irony of the state of affairs, in fact, was that Helenius was a final second substitute for Whyte, who couldn’t face Joshua himself due to his personal failed drug take a look at. “In Finland,” Helenius stated of failed drug testing earlier than squaring off in opposition to Joshua, “if I would be caught I would be lynched for my whole life. Two year minimum, nothing. I would never get a license again.” Talk about phrases coming again to hang-out you.
On high of all else, this newest excessive profile drug take a look at snafu comes a few week after it was introduced that undisputed light-weight titlist Baumgardner had failed a drug take a look at of her personal. The fact is that Helenius will almost certainly deny any wrongdoing, as Baumgardner did, and, in equity, neither fighter might have consciously cheated. In a sport like boxing, nevertheless, folks can get severely damage and even die. Whatever the rationale could also be, a fighter who fails a drug take a look at ought to maybe need to face the implications with out exception – for the implications of treating such issues evenly will be extreme certainly.
Besides, boxing usually has sufficient of a foul status as it’s.
