Number-one ranked heavyweight contender Alexander Povetkin tested positive for a banned substance, putting his fight title fight with Deontay Wilder, scheduled for next Saturday in Russia in doubt, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com
“This letter is to advise you that the ‘A’ sample urine specimen number 3969608 collected from Alexander Povetkin on April 27, 2016 in Chekhov, Russia through his participation in the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) program has been analyzed for anabolic agents, diuretics, beta-2 agonists, stimulants and drugs of abuse,” Goodman wrote. “The results of the analysis are as follows: Adverse. Urine specimen contains meldonium.”
“Mr. Povetkin has the right to promptly request analysis of the ‘B’ sample at his expense,” Goodman wrote. “Please be aware that VADA does not adjudicate results nor determine whether sanctions are appropriate. As with all results, adverse findings are reported to the relevant commission(s) who may make such determinations.”
“Traces of extremely low concentration of meldonium have been found in his blood. He consumed it in September last year,” Povetkin promoter Andrey Ryabinsky of World of Boxing said, according to the Russian TASS news agency. “He has not taken it since Jan. 1. The situation is ambiguous. The blood sample was taken in April this year. We have been in contact with the World Boxing Council, which is to decide if Povetkin’s boxing bout against Deontay Wilder will take place or not.”
Promoter Lou DiBella, representing Wilder, told ESPN that he and the Wilder team were still gathering information on the situation.
“We literally have received this in the last hour and have not even had a chance to discuss this with our team,” DiBella said. “We’re in the process of doing this right now. But it’s extremely upsetting and disappointing and while I am angry, I am certainly not shocked. We’ll make a more detailed statement and figure things out when we discuss this among ourselves and with the WBC. We haven’t had enough time to digest this. We’ll have more to say later.”
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman issued a statement after learning of Povetkin’s positive test.
“The WBC’s priority is and will always be safety, fair play and justice,” Sulaiman said. “In order to continue to strive for the absolute safety of the boxers and for a just and fair outcome for all parties involved, the WBC is conducting an in-depth investigation of this matter. The WBC will make a public announcement in the very near future concerning the results of its investigation and any appropriate steps that it will take.”
Earlier this week on a media teleconference to discuss the fight, DiBella was asked about the testing.
“Deontay’s always said, a million times, he’s never been hesitant to get involved in testing,” DiBella said. “And we wanted testing to begin, frankly, before it did. But it began with what we believe is plenty of time to make sure that everything is on the up-and-up. There’s been already a number of random tests of both athletes that have turned out negative. So we’re not concerned about that as an issue. And the testing is being done by VADA and they’ve been very buttoned up and everything’s been handled appropriately.
“In a perfect world, we might have liked it to start a little bit earlier, but that’s not an issue. … It’s in the hands of VADA, and we’re very comfortable with it in the hands of VADA.”
“I’m going to tell you right now I am super-excited about going to Moscow, Russia, defending my title,” Wilder said. “You know it seems like every time I turn around — when I have the big stage and the cameras — it’s always a moment for me. And this moment right here’s putting me down in history as the first American ever to defend his title in Russia. And I’m looking to do it in great fashion and to represent my country.”