Finnish boxer Robert Helenius has been handed a two-year ban following a positive drug test for clomifene after his fight against Anthony Joshua last year. The 40-year-old fighter, who was 39 at the time of the bout, faced a knockout defeat at London’s O2 Arena in August 2023.
Helenius has maintained his innocence, asserting that the clomifene detected in his system came from consuming eggs and chicken meat before the match.
However, the UK Anti-Doping Agency (UKAD) rejected his explanation, stating on Friday, “Mr. Helenius was unable to provide evidence that eggs and chicken he had consumed in advance of the bout originated from hens that had been administered clomifene.”
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UKAD’s statement further clarified, “He was therefore unable to identify the source of clomifene in his sample and consequently unable to reduce the applicable period of ineligibility of two years.”
Helenius’ ban, effective from September 18, 2023, the date of his provisional suspension, will remain in place until midnight on September 17, 2025, marking his return to the sport the following day.
