According to ESPN, prolonged or misuse of the banned sympathomimetic amine would show up in hair samples of the abuser. However, Canelo’s recent test came back clean.
The report states Canelo gave strands for testing, with a letter dated April 20 revealing the following: ‘Hair sample tested for clenbuterol. Clenbuterol was not detected.’
Had Canelo been using the drug to help with weight loss or breathing in training, hair molecules would have come back positive for Clenbuterol.
The substance stays in the sample for months at a time.
Canelo’s defense that the adverse finding was due to contaminated meat in his native Mexico now seems like an even more plausible outcome.
Two dates from mid-February brought backtraces of Clenbuterol. The situation caused the collapse of a scheduled rematch with Gennady Golovkin on May 5.
In their report, ESPN cited a quote from Dopeology.org, which stated the following: “Clenbuterol, like many other substances, accumulates in minimal amounts in hair follicles.
“If an athlete has taken the substance over a period of time in the past, his/her hair test might return a positive for a period of six months or longer.
“Conversely, if the clenbuterol resulted from a single incident. In which the subject had eaten meat, for example, a hair test would almost certainly be negative.”
Speaking to ESPN, Golden Boy President Eric Gomez believes the findings are conclusive in favor of Canelo.
“From the beginning, Canelo has insisted that he accidentally ingested clenbuterol from eating tainted meat,” Gomez told ESPN.
“The fact this NSAC-required hair follicle test came back entirely negative for any traces of clenbuterol should lay to rest any suspicion that he was intentionally taking a banned substance.
“Canelo is looking forward to getting back into training. He’s returning to the ring in September. He thanks all of his fans for sticking by him.
“Canelo believes this test proves once and for all that he is a clean fighter.”
The Nevada State Athletic Commission handed down a one-year ban to Canelo, reduced to six for co-operation. Furthermore, the two-weight world champion is hoping to reschedule his clash with Golovkin for September 15.
