Ryan Garcia has refuted allegations of using performance-enhancing substances despite facing a positive test for a banned steroid ahead of his bout against Devin Haney.
The World Boxing Council (WBC) acknowledged receiving notification from the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (Vada) indicating Garcia’s “adverse findings” in tests conducted in April.
ESPN obtained a letter, independent of Vada, revealing Garcia’s positive result for ostarine.
Reportedly, the samples were collected the day before and the day of Garcia’s victory over Haney in April, with the results emerging afterward.
“I want to make it clear that I’ve never engaged in cheating,” Garcia, 25, stated on X platform. “I’ve never used steroids, and I’m not even aware of where to acquire them. My use of supplements is minimal. These are baseless accusations; I rightfully defeated him.”
Garcia has a 10-day window to request testing of his B sample.
BBC Sport reached out to Vada and the New York State Athletic Commission for comments.
Ostarine, known for its muscle-building properties, has been on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned list since 2008. Despite flooring Haney three times in his surprising victory, Garcia was ineligible for Haney’s WBC light-welterweight title due to missing weight for the match.
The WBC mandates all its fighters to participate in its ‘clean boxing program’ and entrusts Vada with drug testing responsibilities.
Golden Boy Promotions, Garcia’s promoters, expressed their intent to investigate the circumstances surrounding the finding.
“Ryan has consistently denied any intentional use of prohibited substances, and we stand by his assertion,” the promotion company stated.
Haney informed ESPN that the revelation has drastically altered the fight’s perception.
“We recently became aware of this situation, and it’s disappointing that Ryan resorted to cheating, disrespecting both the fans and the sport of boxing by adopting unfair tactics,” Haney remarked.
“Ryan owes the fans an apology; his recent tweet suggests he doesn’t comprehend the gravity of the situation. We risk our lives to entertain people, and this behavior undermines the integrity of the sport.”
Amir Khan, a British boxer, received a two-year ban from UK Anti-Doping in 2022 after testing positive for ostarine.