Warren Slams Benn, BBBofC Chief Claims Benn Is Not Cleared, Benn Speaks Out

In the latest boxing news today, Frank Warren has not been impressed by Conor Benn’s response to his two failed VADA tests. 

The boxer has been out of the ring for over a year, but he will make his comeback against Rodolfo Orozco on September 23rd, 2023.

This is after the National Anti-Doping Panel had removed Benn’s suspension after he was initially suspended by UKAD in April. Nevertheless, UKAD and the British Boxing Board of Control have appealed the decision. 

In response, Warren stated that the defense did not address key questions. Did Benn have Clomiphene in his body and if that were the case, then how did it get there?

Those answers will be needed, given that strict liability holds fighters to account for whatever is in their body irrespective of if it was accidental or not.

But it appears that Benn’s camp have allegedly argued their case on jurisdictional grounds. That is why Warren demanded that Benn have a hearing to clear this up. 

Warren On Benn

“There has been no hearing for him to explain why those prohibited substances he tested positive for where in his system. He has given no explanation to UKAD who do that on behalf of the board. He has not done that. They had a hearing where they argued quite successfully – his lawyer is a top guy – about jurisdiction. It shouldn’t be about jurisdiction. It should be ‘Why is that in your system? How did it get in there? Please give us a valid explanation and by the way, we want to look at the B sample as well,” Warren

Therefore, until those issues were addressed, Warren made it clear that he was against the idea of Benn fighting. After all, such a move could open the floodgates for other fighters who tested positive to do the same moving forward.

Not only that, but it does undermine VADA tests if fighters try to get around it by arguing jurisdiction. And there is no getting away from that. 

Robert Smith On Benn

Much in the same way, those words were also backed up by the British Boxing Board of Control chief, Robert Smith. The former made it clear that Benn had not been cleared, given that an appeal process was still pending.

The boxer, in the meantime, has gotten a license from Texas, which will see him box in Florida over the weekend. But rather than comment on individual cases, Smith was intent on looking after the integrity of the sport. After all, Benn’s ruling could have consequences later down the line. 

“Personally I don’t think he should be boxing until this matter is cleared. Hopefully that’ll be done as soon as possible. He hasn’t cleared it, a number of issues are still outstanding which everybody’s aware of. We’ve decided to appeal a decision and once the appeal has taken place we’ll take it on board from there. But when Eddie says he’s cleared his name, according to us we haven’t had an explanation of how the positive test came about, so I don’t quite agree with Eddie on that one,” Smith stated

Benn On Clomiphene

And yet, Benn has called for a change in the law over how the boxing authorities view Clomiphene. 

His comments were in response to his two recent failed VADA tests for the substance. Clomiphene has the impact of being used as a masking agent for performance enhancing drugs. In response, Benn maintained his innocence.

However, he has called for a change in the law on the basis that the ‘science’ had shown that Clomiphene can be found in numerous food substances. Therefore, such an issue was out of the control of the fighters. 

“But if you’re eating a banana and it says it’s a banana, looks like a banana and tastes like a banana, how can that be strict liability? Everyone wants to question what has gone on but what about the case study WADA conducted [on clomifene]? They conducted a case study over a three-year period three years ago about clomifene rising in athletes by 15 per cent.

“How has there been two other fighters who have tested positive within this year and two other cyclists? They all tested positive and all in trace amounts. People need to look further. How can it be strict liability if it’s in our food? You can’t stop that,” Benn

Nevertheless, those issues can be resolved provided that fighters provide a paper trail of where their food is coming from. This is something that Benn has been accused of not doing.

Although a ban could still take place even if such evidence was provided, at the very least, it would provide the public with an adequate explanation as to why the substance was in Benn’s system. And until there is a reason, fans will be left none the wiser.