Ryan Garcia’s B-sample positive for banned substance

Star boxer Ryan Garcia’s B-sample returned an antagonistic discovering for the banned substance ostarine on Thursday, per a Sports activities Medication Analysis and Testing Laboratory report seen by ESPN.

The A-sample, which was collected the day earlier than and the day of his upset win over Devin Haney final month, returned an antagonistic discovering for ostarine Might 1.

Ostarine is a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) that attaches to proteins within the physique and successfully indicators for muscle mass to develop. It’s used to help efficiency by serving to athletes construct muscle mass and improve their charge of fats loss, in addition to to extend stamina and restoration potential.

Ostarine has been on the World Anti-Doping Company’s banned checklist since 2008 and in 2022 was listed as an anabolic agent by WADA, whose guidelines mandate that when urine samples are collected, they’re divided into A and B bottles to safeguard towards lab error.

“I do not know the place [the adverse finding] got here from,” Garcia advised ESPN on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, hours earlier than he was ringside for Oleksandr Usyk’s heavyweight title win over Tyson Fury. “Truthfully, bro, I do not. I used to be taking ashwagandha, D-3, Omega-3, simply regular s—. I do not know what the f— [ostarine] is. … I’ve severely no thought. I’d inform everyone the reality.

“My entire factor is I would somewhat inform the reality than attempt to fabricate it with a lie. As a result of lies do not stand. So if I actually did take it, I’d be like, truthfully, I used to be going via a bizarre state of affairs. I wasn’t actually that assured. I selected to take it. I am sorry. And that is it. However I did not and I hate dishonest. … All I can say is authorized workforce, assist me determine this out.”

Darin Chavez, a part of Garcia’s four-member authorized workforce, advised ESPN a proper listening to with the New York State Athletic Fee shall be set to “absolve Garcia of any wrongdoing.”

” … Quickly after being notified of his constructive check, Ryan voluntarily had his hair collected and shipped to Dr. Pascal Kintz, the foremost knowledgeable in toxicology and hair-sample evaluation,” Chavez mentioned. “The outcomes of Ryan’s hair pattern got here again adverse. … We’re sure that one of many pure dietary supplements Ryan was utilizing within the lead as much as the combat will show to be contaminated. We’re within the means of testing the dietary supplements to find out the precise supply.”

The fee issued an announcement Thursday saying the matter remains to be beneath assessment.

“The Fee strictly prohibits the usage of efficiency enhancing medicine and works vigorously to uphold the integrity of the game and keep a degree taking part in discipline,” the assertion mentioned. “The place violations are discovered, the Fee will take motion.”

If Garcia (25-1, 20 KOs) and his workforce can certainly show to the fee that there was complement contamination, then the 25-year-old could possibly be cleared. In any other case, he faces suspension of his boxing license together with fines.

Garcia, who floored Haney thrice within the majority-decision win, lashed out at Victor Conte, who works with Haney as a sports activities nutritionist and efficiency adviser.

“This dude that is f—ing defending Devin Haney is the most important cheater in sports activities historical past,” Garcia mentioned. “You possibly can’t make this up.” Conte, the founding father of Bay Space Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO), served time in jail after pleading responsible to conspiracy to distribute performance-enhancing medicine earlier than founding SNAC, a sports activities vitamin firm.

“Ryan Garcia has known as me a number of horrible names lately,” Conte advised ESPN. “Nevertheless, the scientific course of was upheld and each of his urine B-samples got here again constructive for ostarine. The strict legal responsibility rule will now apply and he’ll probably be fined and suspended from boxing. I hope Ryan’s conduct will serve for instance of how to not act in instances of uncertainty with regard to pending drug testing outcomes. … The world of boxing deserves to be revered as a sport.”

Ostarine has been utilized in boxing earlier than. Lucian Bute examined constructive for it in 2016 following a draw with Badou Jack of their WBC tremendous middleweight title combat. The end result was modified to a DQ win for Jack. Amir Khan was handed a two-year ban by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) after he examined constructive for ostarine following his sixth-round TKO loss to Kell Brook in 2022.

“It has been robust,” Garcia mentioned. “I do know I have been speaking my s—, however alone it has been hurting me a little bit bit and I have been unhappy and I really feel like crying. I even really feel like crying proper now as a result of it is similar to they’re taking my biggest victory away. However once more, depart it in God’s arms. … On the finish of the day, I simply really feel like I attempt to combat for my innocence on daily basis, man. I have been giving them the info about what they’re doing and the way it ended up being a constructive the day earlier than and the day after.”

“I do know I’ll discover a approach to combat,” Garcia added concerning a doable suspension. “If I obtained to go to a special nation to combat, I’ll. … I simply need to be within the ring. I am in my prime. I really feel good. I really feel robust.”