The World Boxing Council has issued its position regarding the ongoing controversy surrounding anti-doping testing on unified light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev in connection with Saturday’s mandatory defense against Callum Smith in Quebec, Canada.
Last month, VADA reported atypical findings for HGH and testosterone in two of the samples collected in Beterbiev.
Smith’s team and promoter Eddie Hearn have demanded more information about the atypical findings.
Both sides have made it clear that Beterbiev-Smith will proceed as planned.
The WBC, which uses VADA to manage the organization’s Clean Boxing Program, explained the situation:
Two samples (one urine and one blood) collected on December 6, 2023 returned analytical “atypical findings” for 5b-androstanediol and HGH (human growth hormones). An atypical finding is not a positive result for a banned substance. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) defines an atypical finding as “a report from a laboratory or other WADA-approved entity that requires additional investigation…” That’s exactly what the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA), which made it in this case the entity that administers the WBC Clean Boxing Program.
In response to the atypical findings, VADA immediately ordered additional anti-doping tests on champion Beterbiev. To that end, VADA had samples collected from Champion Beterbiev on December 15, 2023 (urine), December 21, 2023 (blood and urine), and then again on January 3, 2024 (blood). All of these samples returned absolutely negative results. Matchroom, Top Rank, the Quebec Commission, all sanctioning bodies involved (WBC, IBF and WBO) and the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) were notified of all the results of the anti-doping tests carried out by champion Beterbiev and, by therefore, of all monitoring procedures.
It is well known that there is no way to conclusively identify the origin of an atypical finding. In the case of 5b-androstanediol, it has been reported that the atypical finding may be due to the rate at which the body of certain people metabolizes natural testosterone-type compounds. In the case of HGH, the WADA provides specific criteria to its accredited laboratories for reporting HGH levels as atypical or adverse findings. In the case of champion Beterbiev, the HGH level detected did not meet the WADA criteria for an adverse finding and therefore constitutes an atypical finding.
Because the source of an atypical finding is very difficult to identify, the WADA recommends further testing to monitor any abnormal variations in testosterone levels. In the case of champion Beterbiev, follow-up tests were not only negative, but showed consistent levels of testosterone without any spikes that could have suggested exogenous ingestion of performance-enhancing substances. In summary, champion Beterbiev’s testing protocol and his results lead to only one conclusion: there are no adverse results. In light of the testing measures taken and all results obtained, the WBC has not and will not take any adverse action in this matter.
