Amir Khan has been banned from all sport for two years after he tested positive for ostarine during his fight against rival Kell Brook last year.
In May, the 36-year-old boxer and former light-welterweight world champion announced his retirement after he was defeated by Brook in the sixth round on February 19, 2022, but will now be unable to return to the ring or any other sport until 2024.
According to the UKAD website, ostarine is a prohibited substance created to mimic the effects of testosterone and is classified as an anabolic agent, making it banned in sports at all times by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Although Khan had raised concerns about insufficient drug testing before his match against Brook, he admitted to violating anti-doping regulations, but maintained that it was unintentional.
In a written decision dated February 21, 2022, an independent tribunal accepted Khan’s claim that his violation was not a result of deliberate or reckless behaviour and imposed a two-year suspension from all sports based on the principle of strict liability.
“Strict liability means Athletes are ultimately responsible for what they ingest and for the presence of any prohibited substances in a sample,” UKAD chief executive Jane Rumble said.
Speaking to Sky News earlier this week, Khan said: “I’ve never cheated in my life. You can see by my performance against Kell Brook… I lost the fight. If I went in there and knocked Kell Brook out, it’s different.”
