By Barry Holbrook: The beleaguered Conor Benn is being investigated for a reported claim of a second drug violation earlier this year for clomifene. If Benn is found guilty, he could be banned from the sport for over four years.
What’s troubling is the new claim against Benn from earlier this year is for the same clomifene drug, and yet nothing happened.
A longer suspension or more than four years for Benn (21-0, 14 KOs) would remove the possibility of him fighting Chris Eubank Jr, and would see him not return to the ring until he was in his early 30s.
Of course, with Benn’s clever promoter Eddie Hearn, it’s always possible that he might find a loophole to get him back into the ring if he were to take him out of the country to Saudi Arabia or another foreign country willing to ignore his drug ban.
The 26-year-old Benn is currently being investigated for testing positive for clomifene before his previously scheduled fight with Eubank Jr, which was supposed to take place last weekend. It’s unknown when the exact date was for Benn’s positive test.
What is known is Benn failed a drug test with VADA and not UKAD. As a result of Benn’s positive test, his fight with Eubank Jr was canceled. Although Benn’s promoter Hearn maintains that the fight is merely postponed, the new claim of a second positive test for clomifene makes that seem unlikely.
“Conor Benn is being investigated over claims that he failed ANOTHER drugs test earlier this year for the same clomifene substance,” said the Dailymail. “The 26-year-old could face a lengthy ban from the ring over failed drugs tests.
[Benn’s positive tests] “makes a ban seem inevitable — one potentially even longer than the customary four-year suspension for a single violation, which could keep this 26-year-old out of the ring into his thirties.
It’s unknown why UKAD failed to catch Benn for the same clomifene substance that VADA had. Is there a problem with UKAD’s testing procedures?
“Yes. Earlier this year. Same stuff,” said a source for the Dailymail about Benn testing positive for clomifene earlier this year.
There’s still no word why Benn’s B-sample hasn’t been tested yet. For the B-sample to be tested, it would require that Benn request that it be tested, according to the Dailymail.
Just why Benn would be delaying the testing of his B-sample is unknown as well. Surely, Benn would want his B-sample tested, particularly if he believes he’s innocent.
