British boxer Amir Khan has been handed a two-year ban by the UK Anti-Doping agency after testing positive for the banned substance ostarine following his fight against Kell Brook. The former light-welter-weight world champion had expressed his concerns over the lack of proper drug testing before the fight and accepted that he violated anti-doping rules but was adamant that his usage was unintentional.
The ban which began on April 6, 2022 and will expire on April 5 next year prohibits him from taking part in any sport. Ostarine is a substance designed to mimic the effects of testosterone in the body and is forbidden in sports of all levels. An independent tribunal felt that there was no intentional or reckless conduct involved in the case, so a two-year ban was put in place.
The UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) agency is a non-profit organisation formed in 2009 with the goal of ensuring that doping doesn’t occur in British sports. It works in close collaboration with government organisations like the UK Sport and Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), to ensure fair play and transparency across the sporting landscape. This latest ban is the latest of its successful anti-doping efforts.
Amir Khan is a former light-welterweight world champion and was widely considered one of the best British boxers in recent years. The 36-year-old retired in May 2021 after an unfortunate defeat to fellow British boxer Kell Brook. The 36-year-old had to face this two-year ban on top of his retirement and it would be unlikely that he would make a quick return to the sport at his age.
The ultimate goal of the UKAD is to ensure that all sport in the United Kingdom is free of any kind of performance-enhancing drugs and ultimately promote a culture of fair-play and sportsmanship. We are likely to see more of these bans in the near future and athletes need to be aware of the potentially damaging repercussions of any drug usage in the sport so that there can be fair and transparent games played.
