Jump to content

Conor Benn cleared by WBC cos of huge egg consumption


WelshDevilRob
 Share

Recommended Posts

WBC statement

“Mr. Benn denied at all times the intentional or knowingly ingestion of any banned substances. His defense against the Adverse Finding centered on allegations of potential laboratory analysis failures and irregularities in connection with the analysis of his samples and of the results of the samples’ testing.

The WBC consulted several experts in anti-doping laboratory analysis, including an expert consultant with over 30 years of experience in WADA and IOC accredited laboratory settings. The WBC concluded that there was absolutely no fault attributable to the laboratory that analyzed Mr. Benn’s samples. Further, the WBC reaffirms the unquestionable integrity of VADA and the sample collection agencies and laboratories which services VADA uses in connection with the WBC CBP.”

In early February of 2023, Mr. Benn’s team for the first time provided a detailed breakdown of Mr. Benn’s diet and supplement consumption that could have directly affected the Adverse Finding.

The WBC availed itself of the services of an expert nutritionist. The WBC experts provided information about the characteristics of the substance at issue in this case and examples of similar adverse findings in several sports, under a diverse number of anti-doping programs.

The WBC Board of Governor’s ruling was based on: (1) the facts as known to the WBC at the time of the ruling; (2) any extenuating circumstances applicable to the specific case at hand; (3) WBC rulings in precedential anti-doping violation cases; (4) the unbiased, common-sensical and just analysis and recommendations of the WBC Results Management Unit; and (5) credible and reliable health-related and scientific literature.

The WBC found that: (1) there was no conclusive evidence that Mr. Benn engaged in intentional or knowing ingestion of Clomiphene; (2) there were no failures in the procedures related to sample collection, sample analysis, or violations of Mr. Benn’s B Sample rights that would justify questioning or invalidating the Adverse Finding; and (3) Mr. Benn’s documented and highly-elevated consumption of eggs during the times relevant to the sample collection, raised a reasonable explanation for the Adverse Finding.


Conor Benn: "I'm pleased that the WBC have finally cleared my name, with no sanction or ban or any kind and a reinstatement in the world rankings. I can now put this behind me and resume my career immediately.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Reaction from a British newspaper

REVEALED: Conor Benn didn't even MENTION regularly eating eggs when disclosing his diet last year, just months before he blamed his 'highly-elevated consumption' of them to explain his failed drugs test

Conor Benn did not reveal he eats eggs when discussing his diet last year
Benn was reinstated in the WBC rankings due to a 'high consumption of eggs'
However, in an interview with GQ Magazine he didn't say he eats eggs

Read more: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/boxing/article-11784817/Conor-Benn-didnt-MENTION-regularly-eating-eggs-interview-year.html?

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The BBBoC have just issued a statement, basically, saying they respect the WBC but the WBC are a sanctioning body not a Governing body. I don't think the BBBoC or UKAD found anything in their testing (for the Eubank fight) but Conor gave up his British boxing license. It was the BBBoC who decided the fight couldn't happen. They made this statement at the time: "On the evening of 4th October 2022, the Board of the British Boxing Board of Control Limited resolved that the contest between Chris Eubank Jnr and Conor Benn scheduled to take place on 8th October 2022 is prohibited as it is not in the interests of Boxing. That was communicated to the Boxers and Promoters involved on the morning of 5th October 2022."

Edited by WelshDevilRob
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ludicrous but would you expect anything less from one of the alphabets? Be it the BC BA BF or BO it's all BS. Benn's good for business so whatever it takes, get him back n the BC's good graces. As was stated, the BC doesn't speak for the BBBoC, who still have Benn de-licensed, and they aligned their finding with WADA, while it's VADA who govern the BBBoC matter. The BC didn't disavow VADA's authority. The BC artfully shifted the burden of proof. Once there's an adverse finding, the burden shifts to the athlete to prove any exculpatory evidence. So it wasn't intentional. That's fine but the presence of an illegal substance is strict liability. Perhaps a diminished sanction but a sanction noetheless. So long as the BBBoC matter remains pending the BC's action is meaningless. He's not fighting in Britain until the BBBoC matter concludes. That doesn't prevent his management from arranging a fight abroad. Failure to find just one foreign commission who'd approve the fight and ignore the BBBoC matter would be miraculous.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, robprosser said:

What else do you expect from the organisation that basically ignored Canelo's postive drug test?

--- Canelo never failed a drug test. He tested positive for ghost nanograms of Clenbuterol consistent with local food source contamination. You could look up VADA testing protocol to better understand how they test boxers and what constitutes a failed drug test. 

Google nanogram and scale to see how infinitely tiny a nanogram is. A cracker crumb might contain a million nanograms. 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not even Benn wants the WBC's help.

Conor Benn slams WBC over drug test: Done me a 'disservice' with egg ruling

From Reuters News Service

Conor Benn said the World Boxing Council did him a "disservice" when it suggested his failed drugs tests were caused by an excessive consumption of eggs after the governing body cleared him of intentional doping last week.

Benn, 26, also criticised the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) for lacking consideration for his mental state and reiterated his innocence in an explosive statement on social media on Tuesday.

The WBC ruled on Feb. 22 that Benn's "highly elevated consumption of eggs" was a reasonable explanation for failed tests in October. It found no procedural failures and no conclusive evidence that Benn had intentionally ingested the banned substance clomiphene.

Positive findings for "trace amounts of a fertility drug" in a random test carried out by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) led to Benn's fight with compatriot Chris Eubank Jr being called off in October.

"In my defence to the WBC and the 270-page report provided to them, at no point did I indicate that I failed any VADA tests because of contaminated eggs," Benn said. "I feel like the WBC statement did a disservice to my defence.

"As part of its lengthy investigation, the WBC instructed its own experts to review my supplements and diet, and they concluded that egg contamination was the most likely cause.

"My sample appears to have come back clear the first three times it was tested. Without explanation it was retested again after nine days and only then did it show a trace positive result."

Benn relinquished his licence with the BBBofC after his fight with Eubank was called off. He remains under investigation by UKAD, Britain's anti-doping body.

The BBBofC said last Wednesday it was not part of the WBC's review.

"I have never previously failed any kind of anti-doping test, and passed multiple tests with both UKAD and VADA in close proximity to the two tests that returned adverse findings," Benn added.

"This adds further proof to my belief that the findings were testing errors.

"As for the BBBofC, they attacked me publicly and privately during the most difficult time in my life, treating me with utter contempt and without any consideration for fair process or my mental state."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Boxer Conor Benn charged with use of prohibited substance

Associated Press

British boxer Conor Benn has been charged with the alleged use of a prohibited substance, British anti-doping authorities said on Thursday.

UK Anti-Doping said the 26-year-old Benn was charged on April 3 for using clomifene, a female fertility drug that is on WADA’s list of banned substances and is known to elevate testosterone levels in men.

UKAD said it notified and provisionally suspended Benn on March 15. The anti-doping authority does not typically disclose that an athlete has been charged or suspended, but said this was “exceptional circumstances.”

Benn’s all-British catchweight bout with Chris Eubank Jr. was canceled in October after Benn returned traces of clomifene in a random test by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association.

The World Boxing Council cleared the welterweight fighter of intentional doping in February after a “highly elevated consumption of eggs” was considered a “reasonable explanation” for the failed test. That left Benn free to resume his boxing career outside Britain after he relinquished his British Boxing Board of Control licence.

Benn took to Twitter on Thursday to say the UKAD announcement was an attempt to “create a headline with my name.”

“Being ‘charged’ is a start of a process by which an athlete has to defend themselves,” he wrote. “I have not been sanctioned by anyone & I’m not banned from boxing. I remain free to fight in events that are not sanctioned by the BBBoC. I don’t even have a BBBoC licence.”

The British boxing authority noted the charge and said it “awaits the outcome of the UKAD process in due course.”

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Benn provisionally suspended from boxing by UK Anti-Doping

Agence France-Presse

Conor Benn has been provisionally suspended from boxing by UK Anti-Doping, it was announced Thursday.

A scheduled catchweight "grudge" bout against British rival Chris Eubank Jr scheduled for October last year was cancelled after trace amounts of a fertility drug, clomiphene -- which is known to elevate testosterone levels in men -- were found in Benn's urine.

Benn had denied intentionally or knowingly ingesting any banned substances.

In February, the World Boxing Council cleared Benn of a doping offence after the World Boxing Council ruled a "highly-elevated consumption of eggs" constituted a "reasonable explanation" for his positive finding.

But a statement issued by UKAD on Thursday said: "UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) confirms that Mr Benn was notified and provisionally suspended by UKAD on 15 March 2023 in accordance with the UK Anti-Doping Rules.

"Whilst provisionally suspended Mr Benn is prohibited from participating in any capacity (or assisting another athlete in any capacity) in a competition, event or activity that is organised, convened, authorised or recognised by the British Boxing Board of Control or any other World Anti-Doping Code-compliant sport.

"UKAD can also confirm that on 3 April 2023 it charged Mr Benn with an Article 2.2 violation for the alleged use of a prohibited substance (clomiphene). The charge against Mr Benn is pending and will now follow the results management process in accordance with the UK Anti-Doping Rules."

After Boxing News reported Benn was provisionally suspended earlier this week, the 26-year-old tweeted: "I can't comment on anything to do with UKAD other than to say that I am in touch with them", adding, "I remain free to fight outside the UK."

Benn relinquished his British boxing licence after testing positive and the BBBofC can request other governing bodies prohibit the undefeated Londoner from fighting abroad.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...