Conor Benn faces a mountain to climb in his bid to be sanctioned to fight in the United Kingdom after a hive of activity on Wednesday.
That day, Benn had seen some light shine on his future after the World Boxing Council accepted his VADA drug test failure explanation.
The WBC agreed with Benn and his lawyer that large consumption of eggs could bring about the adverse findings from two samples in July and August.
In December, Benn argued that eating over thirty per day can lead to adverse findings for clomiphene. The substance is a known performance-enhance drug banned by every testing body.
If you Google the whole scenario of clomiphene appearing in urine samples, an egg study is the first result. Therefore, it is widespread knowledge in the industry that clomiphene contamination can be caused by eating too many eggs.
The WBC then ruled that there was no way to prove that Benn knowingly consumed anything illegal before his doomed October catchweight bout with Chris Eubank Jr.
Conor Benn has eaten too many eggs
Revealing the issuance of its ruling, the WBC said: “There was no conclusive evidence that Mr. Benn engaged in intentional or knowing ingestion of clomiphene.
“There were no failures in the procedures related to sample collection. In sample analysis, or violations of Mr. Benn’s B Sample rights that would justify questioning or invalidating the Adverse Finding.
“Mr. Benn’s documented and highly-elevated consumption of eggs during the times relevant to the sample collection. This raised a reasonable explanation for the Adverse Finding.”
The 26-year-old will be reinstated into the World Boxing Council rankings by the WBC Ratings Committee. He’ll take his place alongside the other 147-pound boxers immediately.
British Boxing Board of Control investigation
However, despite fans taking to social media to proclaim their man exonerated, the British Boxing Board of Control dampened Benn’s case proceedings within hours of the WBC’s announcement.
They said they wouldn’t take Benn’s excuse until they complete their investigation with the UK Anti-Doping Agency.
It’s a massive blow to Benn and does look from the outside as if the egg-eating scenario does not convince the Board. They also pointed out that the WBC is a sanctioning body, not a governing body, and has no jurisdiction to suspend any fighter.
“The BBBoC has adopted the UK Anti-Doping Rules. UK Anti-Doping publishes those rules. Those formed part of the rules to which Mr. Benn was bound.
“As such, the decision of the WBC does not affect the ongoing implementation of the BBBoC’s rules [and those of UKAD].
“The UK Anti-Doping Rules make clear what conduct constitutes an Anti-Doping Rule Violation as defined in those rules [and in the World Anti-Doping Code].
“Specifically set out the circumstances in which such violations can be committed by way of strict liability,” they concluded.
Benn’s reputational issue
The fact of the matter is that Benn’s reputation remains under a cloud. Sadly for the welterweight star, it may never recover.
He’ll forever face jibes over the matter and egg puns aplenty until he writes his final chapter. And if the BBBofC moved to suspend him after the WBC effectively couldn’t prove the failures, boxing’s broken system would again be exposed for no clarity.
It will show that nobody is pulling in the same direction. And that alternative sides of the coin hold far different standards for a clean sport.
The views expressed in this article are the opinions of experienced boxing writer Phil Jay. Twitter @PhilJWBN. Follow WBN: Facebook, Insta, Twitter.
