Amir Khan has begged fans of the sport to hear his case and believe that he did not intentionally use performance enhancing drugs.
News broke today that Khan tested positive for banned substance, ostarine, in a post-fight urine test after his bout with Kell Brook in February of 2022.
The former unified world champion has been handed a two-year ban from all sports from UKAD because of the result, although maintains that the small amount found in his system was an accident.
Khan spoke to Sky Sports News about the test results.
“I have no idea. It could be meeting people, shaking people’s hand. The amount of ostarine that was in my blood, it was 0.5, which is literally – say an Olympic size swimming pool – smaller than a grain of salt.”
“I don’t know how it got into my system … maybe sharing a drink with somebody.”
“It was not taken purposefully, and the amount that was found in my body was not gonna give me any benefit.”
He went on to read directly from a UKAD statement.
“‘There is no rational explanation as to [why] the athlete – who has been tested negative on three occasions between the 20th of January and 12th of February – should have been contemplating before the fight taking a very small dose which would give no performance enhancing advantage or any other pharmacological effect which a professional boxer might hope to obtain.'”
Finally, Khan hoped aloud that fans would believe him, and that this isn’t what he would be remembered for following an impressive career as both an amateur and pro.
“I have to take some sort of responsibility. At the end of the day, it’s been found in my system but I can honestly say to the public it is something I would never ever do.”
“I don’t want to be remembered for something like this. That will hurt me a lot.”
“Hopefully people believe me, and young up and coming fighters, maybe they can learn from me how mistakes can happen.”
The ban. despite independent findings that the doping was not intentional, represents strict liability – in short, athletes are ultimately responsible for what they ingest no matter what.