Performance enhancing drugs have increasingly come under the spotlight with a raft of boxers failing tests in 2016.
The WBC confirmed last night that Saturday’s heavyweight clash between Deontay Wilder and Alexander Povetkin has been postponed after the Russian’s sample tested positive for meldonium, the same substance which caused tennis star Maria Sharapova to be banned.
He was due to face American Wilder, who was heading to Moscow today for final preparations ahead of his fourth defence of the strap. Meldonium was added to the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) banned list last year and it was claimed Povetkin had been taking the substance before it was banned, leaving low traces found in a blood sample given last month.
However, the WBC has moved to cancel the clash with no new date scheduled.
“Keeping the priority of safety and also the principle of justice, the WBC will continue the investigation into the case,” the WBC said in a statement. “Consequently, the event scheduled for May 21 in Moscow is hereby officially postponed.”
The story follows hot on the heels of Australian heavyweight Lucas Browne being stripped of the WBA heavyweight title after his ‘B’ sample tested positive for a banned substance.
And British middleweight champion Eubank Jr believes more can be done to stamp out the use of PEDs in boxing.
“It’s wholly unacceptable. Disgraceful is the word for it,” he told Sport360 in Dubai Monday.
“You’re letting yourself down and you’re letting down your family and friends. You’re letting down the sport as well, which is unforgivable. There is no excuse.
“I’m on a voluntary schedule now and wherever I sleep tonight I have to let the drug testers know where I am going to be.
“It doesn’t matter what country I’m in, where I’m at, I have to record where I’m sleeping. They can come round at 06:00 the next day, take my blood and take my urine from anywhere in the world.
“That’s every day and that’s how it will be for the rest of my career.
“I guess this has to start happening with a lot more fighters because it’s my understanding there aren’t that many fighters signed up to this type of strict regime that I’m on.
“I guess they need to start putting everyone on it to try and stamp it out.”
